October 16, 2013  (12-2pm EST)

7. Stormwater Trading – Markets or Mayhem?:

Add to Cart
“When Donald Duck traded his wings for arms, was he trading up or trading down?”
–Doug Coupland

Stormwater markets and/or pollutant trading programs are gaining currency (so to speak), at least as an idea of how to introduce some additional efficiency into TMDLs, state and local stormwater programs, and other watershed-based efforts.  The idea is quite simple and reflects basic market principles of supply and demand: the “owner” of a regulatory obligation (e.g., pollutant load reduction) trades with another entity who can supply the required reductions at lower cost or with greater efficiency.  Some are looking to such programs as the salvation for meeting increasingly ambitious reduction goals.  Others view such programs as “getting away with something” or sacrificing watershed health in one place for project implementation in another.  Check out this webcast to learn how various trading programs are faring around the country and how the rules of the market can influence whether these trades constitute “markets or mayhem.”

To date, speakers for this webcast are:

• Daniel T. Nees, Senior Research, University of Maryland, (College Park, MD)
• Alisa Valderrama, Senior Project Finance Attorney, Center for Market Innovation Program, National Resources Defense Council, (New York, NY)
• More speakers to come!