Paying for municipal stormwater services : a case study on drivers of stormwater user fees in three Massachusetts communities
Name
960049489-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
1.16 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
75ca7f6eb23737253b4bf6dfe8ad4726
Author(s)
Anantapadmanabhan, Anisha
Advisor(s)
Gabriella Carolini.
Alternative Title
Case study on drivers of stormwater user fees in 3 Massachusetts communities
Date Issued
2016
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Urban stormwater is a major source of pollution in U.S. water bodies. Addressing the problem of stormwater pollution at the municipal level can be expensive, from infrastructure maintenance to implementing regulatory best practices. These needs have put pressure on municipalities to look for a stable source of revenue that extends beyond general tax appropriations for public works projects. In this context, stormwater user fees have remained a hotly debated topic in local budget discussions and national forums about stormwater management. In comparison to the rest of the country, the adoption of fees in Massachusetts communities is plagued by low uptake. This thesis aims to understand the surprisingly small proliferation and early adaptation of stormwater user fees in Massachusetts by identifying the local drivers of fee adoption as an alternative to using local tax income in three communities: Chicopee, Fall River and Northampton. Through a descriptive case study approach using qualitative interviews and publicly available data, the research underscores four key drivers apparent in local fee adoption: financial pressure, local history, governance arrangements of budgets, and cost equity. Ultimately, communities face numerous tradeoffs that affect the momentum and intricacy of the fee adoption process. Lessons learned about the local drivers of stormwater user fees in these three cases are specifically applicable to the Massachusetts context, but can serve as a guide for other New England municipalities considering new fees.
Description
Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2016.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 66-71).
Subjects
Urban Studies and Planning.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
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