Title
Honoring and recognizing the Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Partners for advancing the local economic potential and environmental and social benefits of Green City, Clean Waters.
Body
WHEREAS, Green City, Clean Waters is the ambitious stormwater management plan for the City of Philadelphia. The long-term control plan, signed in 2011, sets aside $2.4 billion over 25 years for Philadelphia to manage our urban stormwater and meet EPA Clean Water Act regulations; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Water Department aims to convert one-third of the City's existing impervious cover to green stormwater infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, Green City, Clean Waters catalyzes public and private investments, considerable potential emerges to grow the local economy and rejuvenate communities; and
WHEREAS, GSI offers multiple benefits, including: growing local businesses, including small, women, and/or minority-owned firms; increasing the number of quality jobs in a variety of sectors, including engineering and design, landscape maintenance, and material supply; and
WHEREAS, The Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance a more local and sustainable economy in the Philadelphia region; and
WHEREAS, The GSI Partners is a signature project of SBN working to advance the regional GSI industry and GSI innovation by ensuring the greenest stormwater management approaches are facilitated and incentivized, and public and private investments remain as local as possible; and
WHEREAS, The GSI Partners, a growing subset of SBN members, are currently 65 local businesses offering GSI design, build, and maintenance services and materials to public and private clients; and
WHEREAS, The GSI Partners offer Continuing Education Grants to members to support the expansion of their portfolios in GSI; to date the GSI Partners have distributed $82,000 in grants to 35 local firms; and
WHEREA...
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