Note from David Delia, AOTB President:As my mom the philosopher once said, "The Lord helps them that help themselves," and we are now presented with yet another example of her insightfulness.
Anne Arundel County is offering a tax break for doing something we all need to do anyway -- making small, personal dents in our neighborhood's remaining stormwater runoff and drainage problems. By making small differences in our own back (or front, or side) yards in the form of rain gardens and other ways of "softening up" the hard surfaces that have overtaken many of our properties over the years, you may be eligible for getting up to half of your Stormwater Remediation Fees back as a rebate. To learn more please examine, and act upon, the really useful info our County Council has provided:
For Immediate Release:
Anne Arundel County Introduces Residential Stormwater Remediation Fee
Credit Agreement Program
Annapolis, Maryland (September 13, 2016) - Anne Arundel County has established a new Stormwater Remediation Fee Credit Agreement Program to encourage the proactive use of small-scale stormwater runoff controls on private residential property. The new program provides single-family homeowners up to a 50% reduction of their annual Watershed Protection and Restoration Fee (WPRF) based on the stormwater projects on their property that limit runoff and reduce the amount of pollutants entering the County's waterways.
"Our goal is to recognize property owners for their significant stormwater control investments and encourage other homeowners to proactively manage runoff from their property," said County Executive Steve Schuh. "This new credit program will help to minimize the impact land development has on the health of our waterways."
"A majority of the land in Anne Arundel County is privately owned," said WPRP Administrator Erik Michelsen. "While the County is responsible for meeting stormwater pollution requirements from County-owned property, we recognize the need to also reduce the quantity and quality of stormwater coming from private land."
Stormwater Remediation Fee Credit Agreement Program-eligible projects include rain gardens, permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting (excluding rain barrels), and impervious surface disconnections. However, other projects may be considered depending on their ability to reduce pollution. The program will be managed by the County's Watershed Protection and Restoration Program (WPRP) and provides for review of eligible practices for potential credit in compliance with federal and state water quality requirements.
Property owners seeking additional information regarding the Stormwater Remediation Fee Credit Agreement Program can contact WPRP Engineer Manager Raghu Badami, P.E. at 410-222-0529 or via email at
pwbada78@aacounty.org. WPRF credit program information and downloadable applications can also be found online at
www.aarivers.org. All applications must be submitted by October 1 of the taxable year.
The WPRP, a division of the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering, is responsible for implementation of the County's stormwater restoration project strategies that meet mandated federal and state water quality requirements. For more information about the WPRP, go to
www.aarivers.org.
Matt Diehl
Public Information Officer
Anne Arundel County
Department of Public Works
410-222-7582 office
410-320-1406 cell
