Transformational Changes Associated with Sustainable Stormwater Management Practices in Onondaga County, New York

Green infrastructure(GI) technologies are becoming a popular decentralized approach to stormwater management and are commonly recognized as a key component of building sustainable urban water systems. Although many U.S. municipalities have encountered barriers to implementing GI, Onondaga County has integrated numerous GI technologies through its "Save the Rain" program into previously unpopular stormwater management plans in only a few years. This paper investigates the sociopolitical and environmental factors that influenced the adoption of GI technologies in Onondaga County. The primary factors include the formation of a policy entrepreneurship coalition, the acceptance of GI as an effective stormwater management practice, and economic opportunities that reduced financial barriers for GI projects. The findings are based on interviews with local leaders and experts, and review of documents and media coverage related to Onondaga County's evolving stormwater management plans. Transformational changes related to these plans, such as ecological regime shifts and adaptive governance strategies, are analyzed.