In fifth grade, I joined my 9-year-old classmates for a field trip to Salem to tour Oregon’s state capitol building. Two memories stand out from that day: climbing what seemed like hundreds of stairs to the roof to see the “Gold Man” statue (likely my first time on a roof!), and sitting in the gallery of the House chambers, marveling in equal measure at the carpet (trees!) and the power and possibility of all that has and could come from actions in that space.

I’ve been thinking about that field trip over the past months as I collaborated with River Network policy staff on the newest section of the State Policy Hub: Water Funding.

Why Green Stormwater Infrastructure?

In 2021 the American Society of Civil Engineers evaluated stormwater infrastructure in the United States and gave the US a grade of D. Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that the average floodplain (area that floods) is projected to increase 45% by 2100, while annual damages from flooding are predicted to jump by $750 million.

In cultivating solutions to this issue, it’s more important now than ever that communities invest equitably in sustainable infrastructure solutions to handle flooding and build climate resilience. Many policymakers at the state and local levels are making vital investments in nature-based solutions and green stormwater infrastructure. Advocates in states like Oregon, Texas, and California have found unique ways to navigate their own political and environmental landscapes to get their legislators to invest in flood resilience and green stormwater infrastructure.

Why State Revolving Funds?

The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF and DWSRFs) represent the largest source of federal funding for water infrastructure. These funds are intended to support communities across the country by increasing their financial capacity to take on large water infrastructure projects. These projects can address many issues: outdated and leaking pipes, increasing the storage capacity of water treatment plants, or ensuring continuous delivery of safe and clean drinking water to residents.

In practice, however, the communities most in need of investment in their water infrastructure regularly face barriers to accessing these dollars. While the SRFs are meant to support communities nationwide in addressing the most critical issues of water quality and access, the process has remained inaccessible to communities in need due to a range of systemic issues. The SRF policies featured in the State Policy Hub highlight state-level approaches and successes that create more fair distribution of SRF funding.

This progress and power at the state level is an important balance as federal priorities shift. We know large government grants are essential resources to support local level implementation of critical water projects and policies, providing communities and cities with the dollars they need to carry out this important work. When federal support is tenuous, it’s essential that water, justice, and river advocates are ready to leverage a range of sources across all levels of government. Opportunities at the state level are one of the more powerful levers the nationwide network can pull.

Developing the Water Funding section wasn’t the first time recently that I thought of my time on the Oregon capitol building roof. Last August the River Network team gathered in Madison, Wisconsin, for our annual staff retreat. Each day that week we walked past that state’s own Capitol. On its roof is also a statue: this one modeled after Audrey Munson, an advocate and America’s “first super model” who used her position to fight for workplace and wage equality. At state capitols across the country, change and progress is possible. River Network is here with resources for our own network of advocates in those Capitol trenches, creating a future of clean water and healthy rivers for all, one policy at a time. We see you: advocates working tirelessly at your state Capitol, and we hope the resources in the Hub make your work easier and more impactful. Our collective power when we learn from each other can’t be stopped.