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Contra Costa and Anaheim pilots show credit trading can accelerate stormwater capture, but permit rules and watershed boundaries pose risks
Summary
Two regional pilots — Contra Costa’s REC system and Anaheim’s municipal credit bank — are already moving from design into limited implementation: Contra Costa has a JPA/CFD rollout planned; Anaheim reports roughly $5M in credits sold. Both programs flagged key hurdles: long‑term O&M funding, JPA governance, legal templates, and MS4 permit watershed delineation that, if too small, can strand credits and slow water quality gains.
Two credit‑trading pilots presented to the board show how off‑site compliance can be used to accelerate stormwater capture, but both speakers cautioned that regulator guidance and watershed delineation in MS4 permits will determine whether programs scale.
Lisa Austin and Rinta Parkins described the Contra Costa Clean Water Program’s REC (Regional Alternative Compliance) system: a JPA would administer certification and a tracking tool, equivalent units ("equivalent acres greened") would be generated by off‑site green stormwater infrastructure, and a…
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