This is a final project for American University's GOVT-310 Introduction to Political Research undergradute class. We aim to assess DC's green infrastructure incentive programs for socioeconomic equity as well as overall efficacy. To this end, we will use data from DC's http://opendata.dc.gov website, namely the Integrated Tax System Public Extract Facts and Best Management Practices data sets.
From the EPA website:
Green infrastructure is a cost-effective, resilient approach to managing wet weather impacts that provides many community benefits. While single-purpose gray stormwater infrastructure—conventional piped drainage and water treatment systems—is designed to move urban stormwater away from the built environment, green infrastructure reduces and treats stormwater at its source while delivering environmental, social, and economic benefits. (source)
In our data set, green infrastructure is assessed in terms of "best management practices" (BMP), structural controls used to manage stormwater runoff. There are 46 different types of BMPs recorded by the city, some of which include:
- Green rooves
- Porous asphalt
- Impervious surface removal
- Rain Barrels
- Rain Gardens
DC stormwater regulations require that large construction or renovation projects install BMPs to manage stormwater runoff once construction is complete. The District also provides financial incentives for properties that install BMPs voluntarily
All BMPs included in this data set were assessed by the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) to comply with city programs:
- District’s stormwater regulations
- Stormwater Retention Credit (SRC) trading program
- RiverSmart Rewards stormwater fee discount program
We aim to use property tax data to assess the equity and efficacy of these incentives and regulations.
- Are BMPs installed evenly across neighborhoods of varying property value?
- Do city incentives affect the instalation of BMPs differently in different neighborhoods?
- Which areas of the city have the highest density of BMPs?
- Is BMP installation becoming more common?
- As stormwater fees increase, is there a resulting increase in BMP installations?
We aim to answer these questions using quantitive social science.