Fox and Friends: Mind Blown..

Fox and Friends just explained to me that the EPA overstepped their boundaries by requiring stormwater regulations that will "tear down homes" and "shut down businesses" because water is draining into streams the same way it did in the days of George Washington and water is not a pollutant. Which is weird because I did not know we had paved roads, driveways, suburban sprawl, parking lots, big box stores etc in 1776. I can also personally assure you that the area around Valley Forge drains MUCH differently than it did in the 1700's...the 1900's even.

The real problem now is the amount of water being directed to drain directly into streams because of the construction of buildings and paved areas. This has caused waterways to grow, their paths to move, swallowing properties, destroying homes. This is not "another way the government is trying to screw the little guy", if anything it's an attempt to save lives. If nothing is done, not only will we continue to destroy our nations valuable ecosystems, but we will be putting the people who live along these waterways in danger. I look back only to last year when the effects of stormwater runoff caused the Wissahickon creek to flood to record levels when a tropical depression made it's way up the east coast. Yes, flooding would have still occurred, but the situation was made worse by directing all the rainfall directly into the streams.

Stormwater Runoff can Include:

1. Oil, gas and other vehicle chemicals.
2. Nutrients, which can cause eutrophication in water systems.
3. Soil, which can alter the path of our nations streams and waterways
4. Warm Water, which itself is a pollutant that can kill fish and needed algae and insects. 
5. Fertilizers, pesticides and lawn care chemicals.
6. Pet waste and bacteria

Some of the easiest solutions to mitigate the effects of stormwater are relatively cheap and make huge differences in how stormwater drains back into the environment. Our neighbors complained that our on gutter was draining onto their property and contributing to their basement flooding. We agree and purchased a 70 gallon rain barrel that is now used to collect the water from our roof which is then used to water our garden planted along the property boundary  Both the barrel and the garden have made huge impacts on how much water is now making it onto our neighbors property.

Rain gardens are not only extremely effective ways to slow down stormwater runoff and infiltrate water naturally back  into the ground, they can also be beautiful additions to your property.

Harrisburg Magazine

Many private developers are choosing to utilize underground detention basins when they do not have the surface space to deal with stormwater.

So, Fox and Friends could not have been more wrong when they said stormwater "drains the way it always did". That statement is so ignorant it's simply mind blowing. Stormwater is quickly becoming one of the biggest issues facing America planners and will only be further exacerbated with the weather swings caused by global warming. I'll get off my soapbox now, we all know Fox and Friends is not a legitimate source of news.