PIPE DREAMS?, CONTINUED FROM PG. 08
2014 WHERE: Hyundai Club West Lounge WHEN: Thurs. April 10: 2pm-8pm Park at the Carnegie Science Center for $6 or take the “T” to Allegheny Station
Gain valuable stadium operations experience in a fast-paced, exciting environment. Come to the Heinz Field Job Fair to apply for event day positions for Pittsburgh Steelers games, Pittsburgh Panthers games, concerts and other exciting events!
Concessions • Catering Kitchen • Ticket Takers Ticket Sellers • Seat Attendants Maid/Porter • Club Attendants Event Security • Merchandise Guest Services • Suite Attendants Elevator Operators 10
PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 04.02/04.09.2014
Environmentalists want to see less investment in giant infrastructure projects — which they refer to as “gray solutions” — and more in green approaches. Such projects include rain gardens and green roofs, which capture rain, and pervious pavement that allows it to soak into the ground below. Such projects must be scattered across the whole region in order to work, but they are “really the only way to reduce raw sewage from going into our river,” says county executive Rich Fitzgerald. “ALCOSAN is probably in the most vulnerable position, if you will, because they’re at the end of the line. The important thing is what we do upstream, what the local authorities and local municipalities do.” The benefits of such projects can be widely dispersed as well, advocates say. “Operations and maintenance of green infrastructure” — keeping rain gardens healthy, for example — “can create job opportunities for local residents,” says Emily Alvarado, interim director of Clean Rivers Campaign. The group has been arguing for greener solutions for the past three years. Historically, though, ALCOSAN has been wary of such investments. The agency has argued that it can’t base its plan on sourcereduction efforts made by other governments, because it can’t promise anything on their behalf — and that the effectiveness of green approaches remains unproven. In past interviews, Tim Prevost, manager of Wet Weather Programs, expressed concern about the viability and cost-effectiveness of green infrastructure. “Change happens slowly, especially when you’re talking about public money. People want to see that it works.” “ALCOSAN has been saying all along, ‘We can’t do stuff in communities,’” says
Hoffman. But “we’ve worked with communities like Millvale and Homestead and they would love to do green infrastructure projects. The problem is they really need funding and support from ALCOSAN to make it happen. … ALCOSAN could go into communities and say, ‘If we were to put a lot of green infrastructure in this certain place, it would reduce the amount of flow. We want to make that project happen.’” Some observers say there’s a structural reason that makes it difficult for ALCOSAN to consider such investment: Those communities have little voice on its board of directors. By law, ALCOSAN’s board is comprised of three city appointments, three county appointments and one joint appointment. “For municipalities, it’s really important that the governance changes occur,” Risko says. “To get them to transfer trunk sewers [to ALCOSAN], municipal representation on the board of ALOSAN is needed.” Still, Hoffman and others say it’s a good sign that both Peduto and Fitzgerald, who make board appointments, support green approaches. Last month, Peduto nominated three new ALCOSAN appointees, including Brenda Smith, executive director of the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, which encourages community-wide solutions to stormwater issues in Pittsburgh’s East End. While Pittsburgh City Council must approve the appointments, Hoffman says “nominating Brenda Smith, who’s done incredible work on Nine Mile Run [watershed] area, is just a really excellent signal” about how serious local leaders are about a green approach. “It’s really critical that the EPA sees Peduto really leading the charge on green CONTINUES ON PG. 12
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