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Sierra Club urges Hamilton County to consider impervious-surface fee to reduce stormwater costs
Summary
A Sierra Club representative asked commissioners to pursue an impervious-surface fee so landowners who generate stormwater runoff share the cost of repairs to Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) infrastructure, calling current funding arrangements unjust.
Larry Falcon, representing the Sierra Club Miami Group, told the Hamilton County commissioners on March 13 that stormwater leaving private property imposes large costs on the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) and on sewer-ratepayers and urged the county to consider an impervious-surface fee or other mechanisms to make landowners pay for runoff management.
Falcon said MSD’s stormwater work costs the utility “more than a hundred and $30,000,000 a year” and that those costs are borne by sewer-ratepayers rather than by landowners who generate the runoff. He argued that charging for impervious surface would give landowners a financial reason to manage stormwater on their property using the cheapest and most effective measures.
Falcon asked for meetings with commissioners or staff to discuss the proposal; he said he had tried to reach offices for Commissioner Stephanie Summer O'Dumas and Commissioner Alicia Reese without success and asked for an opportunity to meet. Commissioners and staff acknowledged the request and indicated an interest in follow-up engagement with Sierra Club representatives and county staff.
