At Opening of Innovative Point Defiance Stormwater Facility, Kilmer and Heck Announce New Bills Aimed at Reducing Toxic Runoff into Puget Sound

Press Release

U.S. Representatives Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Denny Heck (WA-10) joined the opening of an innovative new stormwater facility at Point Defiance Park yesterday to announce new legislation to help reduce toxic runoff in Puget Sound and other key waterways.

The members and other local leaders toured the Point Defiance Regional Stormwater Facility to learn how the 5,500-square-foot-bio-retention facility will capture the worst pollutants before they flow into the Sound. Afterward, Kilmer and Heck discussed their bill to encourage homeowners and businesses to install Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) and other legislation that could help a city like Tacoma build new facilities like the Point Defiance site.

"Stormwater runoff is taking a toll on Puget Sound," said Kilmer. "When heavy rains hit, the pollution that washes into our waterways hurts the salmon, oysters, and overall health of our Sound. That's why we are introducing measures to support groundbreaking work being done in places like Tacoma so we can capture more of these pollutants and clean up our waters."

"When our famous rain becomes stormwater, our cars and streets are washed clean but those oil and other harmful substances head straight into the Puget Sound," said Heck. "Today the sun came out and shined a spotlight on green stormwater infrastructure in the South Sound that is preventing harmful runoff from occurring. We believe the work underway locally at the Point Defiance Stormwater Facility and Washington Stormwater Center can be a model for communities nationwide. The return on investment of these breakthrough technologies can be the difference in cleaning up our waterways, and with this legislation we can ensure federal programs properly acknowledge the true value of these projects."

The Green Stormwater Infrastructure Expenditures Tax Credit Act would establish a new federal tax credit program to allow homeowners and businesses to recover up 70 percent of the costs related to installing and maintaining GSI. GSI uses natural and engineered systems to promote the uptake and filtration of stormwater at its source to protect habitats and reduce flood risks.

Currently, when stormwater runoff moves through the drainage systems of larger municipalities it collects a wide range of toxic substances -- from motor oil to septic waste -- and it carries it straight into the local watershed. A media report from October 2015 explained how GSI in the Pacific Northwest is playing a critical role in removing these pollutants, which a joint National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Washington State University study found can kill coho salmon within a matter of hours.

The members previously introduced a bill in February, the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Investment Act, that would give communities using GSI access to dedicated funding within the Environmental Protection Agency that supports water quality projects. It would also give priority to projects that include GSI for competitive Federal Highway funding.

Congressmen Kilmer and Heck co-founded the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus in 2013 as part of their ongoing commitment to preserving Puget Sound. The three priorities of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus are: preventing pollution from urban storm water runoff, protecting and restoring habitat, and restoring and re-opening shellfish beds.

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