Epa Chief Breaks Ground At Maryland Porous-Paved Àgreen StreetÌ

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson joined federal, state and local officials for a late-November groundbreaking of the D.C. metro area’s “greenest” street, an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded project that includes porous pavement to filter rainwater and reduce flooding as part of its long list of environmentally responsible elements

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson joined federal, state and local officials for a late-November groundbreaking of the D.C. metro area’s greenest street, an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded project that includes porous pavement to filter rainwater and reduce flooding as part of its long list of environmentally responsible elements. Located in the Prince George’s County town of Edmonston, Md., the Decatur Street project will include measures to save energy, reduce water pollution to the Anacostia River and Chesapeake Bay, and improve local air quality, as well as create construction jobs.

In addition to the inclusion of porous pavement, plans for the mile-long, $1.1 million street reconstruction call for installing rain gardens, planting dozens of native trees, building bike lanes, improving pedestrian safety and using wind-powered street lights. Joining Administrator Jackson for the groundbreaking were Edmonston Mayor Adam Ortiz and Maryland Governor Martin OÌMailley, who said Decatur Street was one of nearly 100 job-creating and job-saving projects across Maryland getting under way thanks to [ARRA].

EPA has designated pervious concrete, permeable concrete pavers, and porous asphalt pavements as best management practices for controlling stormwater runoff. A long-term investigation involving the three pavement types recently commenced at a parking lot serving an EPA Region 2 laboratory in Edison, N.J.