L V P C Lehigh Valley Planning Commission DraftD DLehigh Valley Return on Environment a Lehigh Valley Return on Environment Lehigh Valley Planning Commission 2014 L V P C Lehigh Valley Planning Commission The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding through Lehigh Valley Economic Development Cor- poration under an award with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and fi ndings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily refl ect the views of the Government. Cover photos courtesy of Michael Kaiser, Teresa Mackey and Wildlands Conservancy. b Lehigh Valley Return on Environment L V P C Lehigh Valley Planning Commission L V P C Lehigh Valley Planning Commission DraftD DLehigh Valley Return on Environment c Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Staff Kent H. Herman, Esq., Chair Benjamin F. Howells, Jr. Becky A. Bradley, AICP, Executive Director Liesel Dreisbach, Vice Chair Edward D. Hozza, Jr. Anne L. Esser, MBA, Director of Administration Stephen Repasch, Treasurer George Kinney (alt.) Eric C. McAfee, AICP, LEED AP, Director of Community Planning Norman E. Blatt, Jr., Esq. Robert A. Lammi Geoffrey A. Reese, P.E., Director of Environmental Planning Christen T. Borso Kevin Lott Tracy L. Oscavich, Associate Director of Development John Brown Kenneth M. McClain William H. Deegan, Architectural/Urban Designer Gordon Campbell Christina V. Morgan David E. Manhardt, AICP, Chief Geographic Information Systems John N. Diacogiannis, CPCU Thomas Muller Planner Robert Donchez Thomas J. Nolan Ngozi Obi, Senior Community Planner Percy H. Dougherty, PhD Sara Pandl, AICP, RLA Lynette E. Romig, Senior Geographic Information Systems Analyst Karen Duerholz Salvatore J. Panto, Jr. Travis I. Bartholomew, P.E., Senior Environmental Engineer Charles W. Elliott, Esq. Edward Pawlowski Teresa Mackey, Senior Environmental Planner Charles L. Fraust Pamela Pearson, MBA Susan L. Rockwell, Senior Environmental Planner George F. Gemmel Kathy Rader Michael S. Donchez, Senior Transportation Planner Matthew Glennon Michael Reph Gabriel F. Hurtado, Community Planner Steven L. Glickman, RA, NCARB Lisa Scheller Alice J. Lipe, Graphics & Publications Coordinator Armand V. Greco Lori Sywensky (alt.) Kathleen M. Sauerzopf, Executive Secretary Virginia Haas (alt.) Seth Vaughn Michael C. Hefele, AICP (alt.) Donna Wright Darlene Heller (alt.) ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS John Mikowychok, City of Allentown We want to thank the following people who helped with interviews, provid- Ralph Carp, City of Bethlehem ing information, case studies and ideas: Stephen Repasch, Bethlehem Authority Lynn Prior, Buy Fresh Buy Local Greater Lehigh Valley John Brunner, Appalachian Mountain Club Elissa Garofalo, Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Ralph Carp, City of Bethlehem Sherry Acevedo, Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Stephen Repasch, Bethlehem Authority Claire Sadler, Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Vicky Bastidas, Bethlehem Bird Town Mike Stershic, Discover Lehigh Valley Michael Yozell, Bicycling Magazine Steve Johnson, L.L. Bean Inc. Lynn Prior, Buy Fresh Buy Local Greater Lehigh Valley Dan Kunkle, Lehigh Gap Nature Center John Berry, Delaware River Shad Fishermen‘s Association Mike Keller, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation Chris Schmidt, Emmaus Run Inn Andrew Kleiner, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation Rob McVeigh, Genesis Bike Shop Michele Deegan, Lehigh Valley Research Consortium Steve Johnson, L.L. Bean Inc. Maria Bentzoni, Northampton County Aurel Arndt, Lehigh County Authority Bryan Cope, Northampton County Liesel Adam, Lehigh County Authority Diane Kripas, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Dan Kunkle, Lehigh Gap Nature Center Natural Resources Peter Saenger, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society Bob Pitcavage, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bill Mondjock, Lehigh Valley Bee Keepers Joseph Napolitano, Rider-Pool Foundation Neal Novak, Lehigh Valley Road Runners Budd Coates, Rodale Inc., Lehigh Valley Road Runners Laurie Reinhart, Lehigh Valley Road Runners Janet Roth, Harry C. Trexler Trust Jill Forsythe, Lehigh Valley Running Scene Eric Andreus, Nestlé Waters North America PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE Bryan Cope, Northampton County Maria Bentzoni, Northampton County Robert Egolf, Bushkill Stream Conservancy Mike Topping, Northampton County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs John Berry, Delaware River Shad Fishermen’s Association Tinku Khanwalkar, PPL Corporation Bill Derhammer, Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance Cheryl Trewella, Pennsylvania Game Commission John Mosovsky, Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance Budd Coates, Rodale Inc., Lehigh Valley Road Runners Liesel Adam, Lehigh County Authority John Tunney, Trout Unlimited, Little Lehigh Chapter Brian Nagle, Lehigh County Authority; Wildlands Norb Szymanski, Trout Unlimited, Monocacy Chapter Conservancy, Board of Directors Laura Hopek, Lehigh County Conservation District PARTNERS Jim Mishko, Lehigh River Stocking Association Jim Wilson, Northampton County Conservation District We want to thank our partners for their assistance: Mike Topping, Northampton County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs John Tunney, Trout Unlimited, Little Lehigh Chapter Wildlands Conservancy Norb Szymanski, Trout Unlimited, Monocacy Chapter Keystone Conservation Trust 4ward Planning Inc. Econsult Solutions, Inc. d Lehigh Valley Return on Environment L V P C Lehigh Valley Planning Commission L V P C Lehigh Valley Planning Commission DraftD DLehigh Valley Return on Environment i Table of Contents Appendix A ...............................................................................................71 Appendix B ...............................................................................................75 Acknowledgements References ...............................................................................................77 Executive Summary.................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 5 Tables The Place ................................................................................................ 8 1 Water Quality Classifi cation Descriptions ...........................................13 Open Space Consumers .......................................................................... 10 2 Impacts of Forest Cover on Water Treatment .....................................40 State of the Environment ...........................................................................11 3 Studies Reviewed by Costanza, et al. 2006 .......................................47 Air Quality ...........................................................................................11 Water Quality ......................................................................................11 4 Natural System Services Provided by Different Land Cover Land Cover and Habitat .....................................................................21 Types ............................................................................................47 Wildlife ..............................................................................................34 5 Land Cover Acreages by County ........................................................48 Open Space Trends.................................................................................. 36 6 Natural System Service Benefi ts Calculated Using the Economic Value Analysis .......................................................................... 44 Minimum, Mean and Maximum Values .........................................50 Natural System Services ....................................................................45 1. Methodology ..........................................................................45 7 Tree Canopy Cover by Land Cover ....................................................53 2. Results ...................................................................................50 3. Case Studies ..........................................................................51 8 Pollutant Removal Rates for Greater Philadelphia Region .................53 Air Quality ...........................................................................................52 1. Methodology ..........................................................................52 9 Pollutant Removal Amounts ...............................................................53 2. Results ...................................................................................52 3. Case Study ............................................................................55 10 Pollutant Removal Economic Values ..................................................54 Outdoor Recreation ............................................................................57 1. Methodology ..........................................................................57 11 Carbon Storage and Sequestration ....................................................54 2. Results ...................................................................................63 3. Case Studies ..........................................................................67 12 Local Experts Interviewed ..................................................................60