Stormwater Credit Trading Program

Overview

In regulatory compliance with Michigan’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), permit application for discharge of stormwater to surface- waters from a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), new and redevelopment projects are required to meet Minimum Post-Construction Stormwater Runoff regulations. Controls for this type of runoff are necessary to maintain or restore stable hydrology in receiving waters by limiting surface runoff rates and volumes as well as reducing pollutant loadings from sites that undergo development or significant redevelopment.

Following its values of Accountability, Collaboration, Customer Service, Equity, Innovation, and Sustainability, the City welcomes creative approaches to stormwater management. Stormwater management has and continues to change. The old way was all about getting it out fast. The new mantra is slow it down, spread it out, and soak it in. The Stormwater Credit Trading Program aligns with all these values and to the new way of doing things.

Stormwater Credit Zone Map

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Stormwater Credit Sites

	Name	Address	Installation	Capacity	Type	Trading Area
1	Subsurface Storage System	Lafayette Ave.	1/1/2016	720,000	SSS	North
2	Elmdale St & Eastern Ave Practice Type: 0	Elmdale St & Eastern Ave	8/21/2017	145,000	Bioswale	North
3	Riverside Park - Cycle Track	3151 Monroe Ave NW	2/1/2016	31,121	PP	North
4	Atlas Ave Permial Brick Pavers	1415 WEALTHY ST SE	11/1/2018	20,669	PP	North
5	LAFAYETTE AVE NE Practice Type: 5	648 LAFAYETTE AVE NE	8/1/2018	9,082	PP	North
6	Oak Industrial Dr NE Practice Type: 5	1900 Oak Industrial Dr NE	4/1/2015	5,845	PP	North
7	CURVE ST SW Practice Type: 2	850 CURVE ST SW	11/1/2017	18,900	Bioswale	South
8	Madison Square Lot	437 Madison	10/1/20119	11,887	SSS	South
9	Newberry Porous Sidewalk Pavers	Newberry St from Monroe Ave to Division Ave	9/1/2019	10,690	PP	South
10	Neland and Hall Rain Garden C	1028 HALL ST SE	N/A	8,400	NL	South
11	Cooper and Hall Rain Garden C	1130 Hall St SE	N/A	7,896	NL	South
12	Hall and Niagara Rain Garden D	1160 HALL ST SE	N/A	7,160	NL	South
13	Benjamin and Hall Rain Garden C	1300 and 1306 Hall St SE	N/A	6,176	NL	South
14	Bridge St. and Winter Ave	340 SUMMER AVE NW	12/1/2015	1,151	PP	West
15	Leaching Basin at 26 STRAIGHT AVE NW	26 STRAIGHT AVE NW	1/1/2017	659	IB	West
16	Leaching Basin at 758 CALIFORNIA ST NW	758 CALIFORNIA ST NW	1/1/2017	659	IB	West
17	Leaching Basin at 158 NATIONAL AVE NW	158 NATIONAL AVE NW	1/1/2017	659	IB	West
18	Leaching Basin at 671 OAKHURST AVE NW	671 OAKHURST AVE NW	N/A	659	IB	West
19	Infiltration Basin at 804 PAT AVE NW	804 PAT AVE NW	2/1/2021	659	IB	West

Stormwater Credit Trading Program

The Stormwater Credit Trading Program is a way for property owners to comply with post-construction stormwater runoff standards, even if their property does not allow them to capture stormwater onsite, by allowing for the selling and purchasing of Stormwater Credits between property owners in the same geographical zone.

By purchasing Stormwater Credits from participating properties who have generated them, properties with limited capacity for infiltration can meet post-construction regulatory obligations.

FAQs

What is a Stormwater Credit? - Stormwater Credits are based on the volume of stormwater runoff treated by Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). Each credit is equivalent to 1 cubic foot of GSI retention capacity.
Why Purchase Stormwater Credits? - Property owners or developers subject to post-construction stormwater management requirements can meet a portion of their retention requirements by buying these volume-based stormwater "credits".
Why Generate Stormwater Credits? - Selling credits generates revenue while providing benefits to public health and the environment.

Pathways to Compliance for Stormwater Management

Property owners and developers who are required to meet Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) post-construction stormwater minimums have the following compliance options:

Onsite compliance - If conditions are feasible, implementing Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) onsite is required. Projects may simply achieve regulatory compliance.
Purchase Stormwater Credits - If regulatory compliance using GSI is difficult to implement onsite, purchasing Stormwater Credits may be a path to achieve regulatory compliance.
Payment in lieu of onsite compliance - Property owner of developer of a site where GSI is difficult to achieve pays a fee to the City of Grand Rapids that will be applied to public projects implementing GSI.
Enable offsite mitigation by generating Stormwater Credits - Sites exceeding GSI compliance can generate Stormwater Credits that an eligible development project within the same geographical zone could purchase to achieve regulatory compliance.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Purchasing Credits	Generating Credits
Cost effective option for new/redevelopment projects to meet regulatory compliance to manage stormwater runoff	New/redevelopment projects implementing GSI to treat more stormwater than required regulations Voluntary GSI projects where construction activities do not trigger stormwater management standards
Step 1 - Determine eligibility to comply using Offsite Compliance based on feasibility criteria and SVC amount required	Step 1 - Determine eligibility to generate SVCs from a green infrastructure project
Step 2 - Submit LUDS application that includes request for Offsite Compliance, if applicable	Step 2 - Submit LUDS application for project that adds GSI capacity
Step 3 - Receive LUDS approval from the City including approval of credit purchase for offsite compliance	Step 3 - Receive LUDS approval for project and certification of SVCs to be created
Step 4 - Access Marketplace to determine availability of credits needed for offsite compliance	Step 4 - Enable the City to list SVCs in Marketplace (check box on LUDS application)
Step 5 - Contact listed seller to negotiate a price and quantity to purchase credits for volume required	Step 5 - Negotiate a price and quantity for SVC transaction with potential buyer
Step 6 - Submit Purchase Agreement and Maintenance Contract for permit approval on Citizen Access	Step 6 - Submit Purchase Agreement and Maintenance Contract for GSI; Maintain and re-certify GSI per permit requirements