THE ROLE OF LAND USE EDUCATION IN ASSISTING URBANIZING COMMUNITIES IN THE NEWEST ROUND OF WATER RESOURCE REGULATION

Abstract

Recent expanded water resource regulation efforts will put increasing pressure on urban and urbanizing communities to come up with solutions to the complicated issue of nonpoint source pollution. At the same time, many studies seem to indicate that nonpoint source pollution control by the use of on-site, mechanical “best management practices” alone is not getting the job done. The water resource community is coming to the realization that the best long term approaches to curbing nonpoint source pollution involve better land use planning and practices. Since land use is largely a local issue, local land use decision makers at the town and county levels are a critical target audience for education and technical assistance. Without an educational support system for local officials that provides land use planning and site design options, the possibility exists for the new wave of regulations to stimulate continued emphasis on on-site structural BMPs, resulting in further degraded water resources and less attractive and functional communities. Professional outreach education and technical assistance is therefore needed as never before. The University of Connecticut Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Project is one such educational effort. NEMO has fostered significant impacts in Connecticut communities, is engaged in research and applications development focusing on making geospatial technology useful and useable to local officials, and is at the center of a growing National NEMO Network of projects.