Christopher A. Impellitteri, Associate National Program Director, US EPA Office of Research and Development, Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research Program
"Water Management Research for Urban Environments"
Dr. Christopher Impellitteri of the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development visited CURA in March 2018 and gave us a primer on green infrastructure vs. gray infrastructure and strategies for stormwater management and mitigation of combined sewer overflow events. He also discussed recent EPA research and modeling tools and strategies for treatment and reclamation of urban wastewater.
Green infrastructure uses plants, soils, landscape design, and engineered techniques to retain and infiltrate stormwater runoff thereby preventing or reducing the amount of runoff that flows directly into storm drains. It provides many environmental, social, and economic benefits that promote urban livability, such as storm water management, water conservation, augmented green space, and increased property values. Stormwater discharges continue to cause impairment of our Nation’s waterbodies. Scientists and engineers in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) are studying green infrastructure practices to help support local, state, and national stormwater management objectives to reduce runoff through infiltration and retention. ORD’s research supports the increased adoption of both constructed and natural green infrastructure into communities through the development and improvement of models and tools, case studies, and the evaluation of data from applications of green infrastructure practices throughout the Nation.
Undiscovered rockstar and bug whisperer-in-training Chris Impellitteri has worked in a lab since he was 20 years old. As the Associate National Program Director for EPA’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources program, he leads the Green Infrastructure and Water Systems initiatives which serve to improve and protect the nation’s water infrastructure through sustainable solutions.
