Clean Rivers, Clean Lake Conference

Tracking the Value of Green Infrastructure (GI)

Pete Coffaro

Business & Community Engagement Manager

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

May 1, 2014

Presentation Outline

1. Green Infrastructure Overview

2. “High Road” Workforce Strategies

3. Challenges

4. Recommendations

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GI Regional Green Infrastructure Plan

Type Amount

Green Roofs 1,490 acres Bioretention/Bioswales/Rain Gardens 650 acres

Stormwater Trees 738,000

Native Landscaping 8,600 acres

Porous Paving 1,190 acres

Rain Barrels 152,000

Cisterns 2,020

Soil Amendments 15,200 acres

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Projected Growth For O&M Occupations (2010 – 2020)

Occupation Projected Growth (%)

Job Openings

First-Line Supervisors 15 6,010

Landscaping Workers 21 44,400

Operating Engineers 24 16,280

Maintenance / Repair Workers 11 37,910

Pump Operators 4 360

Septic Tank / Sewer Pipe Cleaners 21 1,190

Water Treatment Operators 12 4,150

General Operating Managers 5 41,010

Farm Workers and Laborers N/A N/A

Pavement/ Surfacing Equipment Operators 22 2,200

Plumbers 26 22,880

Helpers: Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, 45 4,170

Energy Auditors 12 32,720 4

Median Yearly Wages

Occupation O’Net Job Zone

WI Median Yearly Wage

First-Line Supervisors 2 $47,500

Landscaping Workers 1 $25,000

Operating Engineers 2 $51,100

Maintenance / Repair Workers 3 $37,800

Pump Operators 2 $46,600

Septic Tank / Sewer Pipe Cleaners 2 $35,100

Water Treatment Operators 2 $45,100

General & Operating Managers 3 $89,600

Farm Workers and Laborers N/A $20,700

Pavement/ Surfacing Equipment Operators 2 $40,600

Plumbers 3 $65,000

Helpers: Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, N/A $24,900

Energy Auditors 3 $56,300 5

GI and the Link to

Economic Development

How can we maximize and quantify the social and economic benefits of GI?

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Expand existing opportunities . . .

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Four High Road Pillars

• Support businesses that want to thrive in a high road market

• Create workforce training pipelines that connect vulnerable people to green jobs

• Ensure job quality and equitable access to opportunity

• Increase demand for green goods and services

Green Growth

High Road

Strategies

Business Capacity

Career Pathways

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Source: Staying Green and Growing Jobs: Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance as Career Pathway Stepping Stones. Green for All, American Rivers, The Rockefeller Foundation.

Triple Bottom Line – Social and Economic Benefits

Our focus: Two pillars

1. “High Road” approaches 2. Career pathways

• Incorporate community benefit strategies

• Engage local workforce development programs

• Develop and utilize trained & certified workers and contractors

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Strength of Workforce Development Programs Key

Skills Education: Links jobs, life skills and environmental education

Training: Hands on training

Experience: projects on public and private land

Partners

Non-Profit: Strong relationship with partner organizations

Government: public sector partnerships

Private: Relationships with private landowners and businesses

Sustainable

Funding: Diverse sources of funding / revenue

Employment: Steady sources of paid work

Outside Opportunities: Opportunity pipelines

Support

Permanence: Established trajectory

Community: Valued as a community asset

Political: Solid political support

10 Source: Staying Green and Growing Jobs: Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance as Career Pathway Stepping Stones. Green for All, American Rivers, The Rockefeller Foundation.

National Best Practice Leaders

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Local Organizations

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Challenges

• Monitoring – Tracking hours on a

range of variables

– Wages

– Retention

• Outcomes

– Desired results

– Performance measures

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Get clear about the benefits of Four Pillar Implementation

• Growth

• Development

• Equity

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Many unknowns . . .

Labor Markets & GI Vendors • Certifications

helpful?

• Demand for labor?

• Capacity building?

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Recommendations

• Include local worker hiring goals in public sector

• Increase partnerships (nonprofits, community colleges / universities, private sector)

• Engage national foundations and federal government

• Utilize GI valuation tools

• Convene business seminars for green service providers

• Develop GI marketing strategies

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References

Harwood, K. (2011). Green infrastructure: reconciling urban green space and regional economic development: lessons learnt from experience in England’s north-west region. Local Environment 16 (10), 963-975.

Polonsky, M. J. (2011).Transformative green marketing: Impediments and opportunities, Journal of Business Research. Journal of Business Research 64, 1311-1319. Sanchez, A. S. , Quinn A., Hays, J. (2013) Staying Green and Growing Jobs: Green Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance as Career Pathway Stepping Stones. Green for All, American Rivers, The Rockefeller Foundation.

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References

Land Studio, Neighborhood Press, Green for All, Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs (2013) Green Infrastructure Maintenance Training and Workforce Development Opportunities in Northeast Ohio. Seeing Green

Austrian, Z., Clouse, C., and Lendel, I. (2010) Economic Impact of Operating and Capital Expenditures, 2012 – 2016 Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

Gordon, E., Hays, J., Pollack, E., Sanchez, D., Walsh, J. (2011) Rebuilding Infrastructure Creating Jobs Greening the Environment Water Works

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References

LIUNA Training & Education Fund (2012) Job Opportunities in the Energy Sector. Construction Craft Laborer

Odefey, J., et al. (Apr. 2012) Banking On Green: A Look at How Green Infrastructure Can Save Municipalities Money and Provide Economic Benefits Community-wide. A Joint Report by American Rivers, the Water Environment Federation, the American Society of Landscape Architects and ECONorthwest

McEwen, B., et al. (Mar 2013) Strategies to Foster Opportunity for Marginalized Communities – Final Report. Green Infrastructure & Economic Development

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