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Witnesses warn end of GSI maintenance funding harmed green workforce pathways and MS4 compliance
Summary
An environmental and workforce witness told the committee that elimination of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) maintenance funding eliminated roughly 30 maintenance positions, harmed returning‑citizen hiring pathways, and could jeopardize MS4 permit compliance and trigger fines.
Jordan Gokenauer of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay told the committee that the city's decision to eliminate funding for the green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) maintenance program removed a proven workforce pathway for DC residents, especially returning citizens.
"The GSI maintenance program provided stable year‑round jobs for DC residents with a strong focus on hiring returning citizens," Gokenauer said, adding that the program had placed more than 100 residents in paid jobs and that about 30 crew positions dedicated to GSI maintenance were lost when funding stopped. He warned that without routine maintenance, rain gardens and other GSI assets “clog, flood, and fail,” and that the district may now fail to meet its MS4 permit obligations, exposing the city to penalties.
Council members acknowledged the cross‑sector impact — environmental infrastructure and workforce training — and asked WIC and other agencies to consider elevating and coordinating funding or including GSI maintenance support in the council’s priority letter to the mayor. The committee asked witnesses to submit written materials for the record documenting job counts and permit risks.
