The Legislative Council Staffs Water Policy Handbook is intended to serve as a reference guide to Colorado's water policies and programs. Share with Us. Lawmakers passed the bipartisan-sponsored bill with broad support, receiving 30-5 approval from the Senate and 55-10 approval from the House. A bipartisan proposal to save water by paying property owners to dig up and replace their ornamental and non-native grass lawns is now on to Gov. The Los Angeles County Waterworks Districts offer customers a rebate for removing water-inefficient grass with drought-tolerant landscaping. Residents received $2.00 of incentives per square foot of lawn removed, which was paid following documented evidence of replacement. Single family homeowners, HOAs, or other groups who do not regularly work with water resources or conservation and who do not have the capacity to support community-scale turf replacement are not eligible to apply. Turf removal program applications are competitive and individual contracts will only be awarded to qualifying applicants. The recently renamed Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee (WRARC) was created to contribute to and monitor the conservation, use, development, and financing of Colorado's water resources for the general welfare of the state (Section 37-98-102, C.R.S.). Before completing the application, read the Grass Replacement Incentive Program (GRIP) Manual. The Colorado River Basin which provides water to Colorado and six other states has experienced the driest 22 years on record. The first intake process runs from January 25 - March 31. Aurora Water incentivizes the conversion of water-guzzling turf lawns to water-wise landscapes through our Grass Replacement Incentive Program (GRIP,) formally known as the Water-Wise Landscape Rebate. Broomfield residents can apply to receive up to $500 off lawn removal services (you pay just $1 per sq. A recent project led by the Colorado Stormwater Center has made training, planting guides and examples of water-wise landscaping available to homeowners. Residential projects must be front yards that are readily visible to the public. a rain garden, rock garden, dry river bed, swales, berms, grades, rain barrels or cisterns). This memorandum describes the programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act that may provide formula or competitive grants to Colorado. Keep it Clean. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelors degree in journalism and a focus in economics. Eagle River Water & Sanitation has a pilot rebate program for turf replacement, which could be expanded with state money, if the bill passes. This heat can be used in a number of ways through geothermal energy systems. A stormwater retention feature (i.e. The specific incentive program must be developed before July 1, 2023. The current rate is $1, with a minimum requirement of 500 sq. Looking to save money on your water bill, reduce outdoor water use and beautify your yard with Colorado native plants and landscaping? First Regular Session | 74th General Assembly. Landscape Design Program Plant Select Plant List Calculator (in Excel) "We are currently in the process of developing the turf funding program, which will become available on or sometime before July 1, 2023," said Sara Leonard, a spokesperson for the Colorado . 2022 CO HB1151 (Summary) Turf Replacement Program. Developing Colorado's Turf Replacement Program (22-03) Staff Publications . Please enable javascript for the best experience! Since the late 1990s, the Nevada agency has converted about 4,600 acres of turf, saving 467,000 acre-feet of water. One in Las Vegas started in 1999 and has since saved about 163 billion gallons of water. 17 members of your community are following this project, CWCB Turf Replacement Program Frequently Asked Questions, CWCB September Board Meeting - Turf Replacement Program Update. Jared Polis has signed Colorados turf replacement bill. The program will target 120 Rebates. Use the 'Report' link on J. Bridges, Sen. C. Simpson, Rep. J. Amabile, Rep. J. Bacon, Rep. A. Benavidez, Rep. T. Bernett, Rep. S. Bird, Rep. A. Boesenecker, Rep. Y. Caraveo, Rep. L. Cutter, Rep. D. Esgar, Rep. M. Froelich, Rep. A. Garnett, Rep. R. Holtorf, Rep. E. Hooton, Rep. Colorado ratified the compact in 1943. . Areas to be converted must have existing grass. Local governments, certain districts, Native American tribes, and nonprofit organizations with their own turf replacement programs may apply to the board for money to help finance their turf replacement programs. The Colorado Water Conservation Board has launched funding to support existing and new community programs aimed at helping eligible entities replace nonessential turf in order to reduce outdoor watering, per legislation passed in 2022. Download Share Related Publications Sort by Staff Publications HB 22-1151 allocates $2 million to fund this program. Create a Department of Natural Resources portal account to manage your CWCB email notifications. Phone: (714) 593-5036 or Email: [email protected]. 5. Program participants are also eligible to apply for a free landscape design. The project area can range between 250 square feet (minimum) to 5,000 square feet (maximum) of existing grass lawn. More information on this program, including guidelines and details on the application process, will become available in Spring 2023. In other western stateslike Arizona, California, Colorado, and Utahdecision-making is more diffuse. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Colorado Water Plan Grant Program and the Water Supply Reserve Fund Grant Program. Yards that contain barren soil or significant bare patches of soil and weeds do not qualify. In Colorado, Greeley's turf replacement program, called Life after Lawn, is younger but still successful, said Water Conservation Manager Dena Egenhoff. Staff will evaluate applications based on applicant eligibility, compliance with program requirements, and the merit of the program (i.e. Familiarize yourself with Turf Replacement Program guidelines since your newly designed garden will need to be complaint with program requirements to obtain a rebate. One in Las Vegas started in 1999 and has since saved about 163 billion gallons of water. FOX31 learned 67% of single-family customers are using less. Please visit engagecwcb.org to learn more about turf replacement funding. After considering staffing costs, CWCB estimates this equates to roughly $750,000 per funding cycle for FY 22-23 and . We'd love to hear eyewitness Pick up and plant your low-water gardens. You may still install artificial turf per the city code, but you will not be eligible for the rebate. Colorado is planning a program to further incentivize residents to replace their grass lawns with landscaping that needs less water to maintain. accounts, the history behind an article. Orange County, CA. ft of area transformed, with a 3-inch-deep ring of organic mulch around all plants. They may be able to obtain funding by working with an eligible entity who has received funding (e.g. Water-wise landscapes are attractive, lower maintenance yards that save water, provide wildlife habitat, and withstand drought. San Benito County Turf Removal Program. CWCB is rolling out a new Turf Replacement Program! Plant list provides identification and quantities of plant types and materials. This program has limited availability and is only offered to Turf Removal Program participants. Rebates will be available for eligible projects as funding allows. The second runs from July 1 - September 30. Existing turf replacement programs typically offer a set dollar amount for every square foot of lawn that property owners replace with plants and landscapes better adapted to the states dry climate. Take photos of the area. Health care sharing ministries in Colorado are now required to report their operations to the state under new regulations signed into law by Gov. Qualifying applications will ultimately need to complete a scope of work, submit tax information and other required documents before entering into contracting. That money would be split up with ~$550,000/funding cycle going to the approximately 22 existing programs and ~$200,000 going to the development of new programs. the ability of the project to provide lasting water savings).How does contracting work?Turf removal program applications are competitive and individual contracts will only be awarded to qualifying applicants. 1st Funding Cycle Opens Through March 31, 2023. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary. Not everybody has to look like youre living in the desert anymore, Phelps said. The state treasurer is required to transfer $2 million from the general fund to the turf replacement fund, which fund is created to finance the turf replacement program. Eagle River Water & Sanitation has a pilot rebate program for turf replacement, which could be expanded with state money, if the bill passes. Want the real scoop? Be Proactive. If implemented, the program in Colorado would be completely voluntary. The National Read Across America Day takes place every year on March 2, Geisels birthday. Earlier this year, Colorado lawmakers passed a GOP-sponsored bill that allocated $2 million to establish a statewide turf replacement program for residential, commercial, institutional and industrial properties. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings and refresh the page. Turf Replacement Program Concerning measures to incentivize water-wise landscapes, and, in connection therewith, creating a state program to finance the voluntary replacement of irrigated turf and making an appropriation. Projects must be approved before installation to ensure they are installed correctly per city code. The Grass Replacement Incentive Program rebates are intended for customers who currently have grass front and side yards visible to the public and wish the replace them with water-wise landscaping. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.). The program promotes an attractive, lower-maintenance landscape that will withstand drought and save water. The Colorado Water Conservation Board mission is to conserve, develop, protect and manage Colorados water for present and future generations. Turf Replacement Program Please visit engagecwcb.org to learn more about turf replacement funding. A new turf replacement program, set to roll out in Colorado in 2023, will pay to convert some of the grass in urban areas and residential yards into more water-efficient landscaping. If you have a question about the program, we'd love to hear it. Funding for new CWCB staff to do both. Calculated square footage of the project area. Colorado could pay you $2 a square foot to rip it out. There are also many local turf replacement programs offered at this time through local governments and municipalities. Exploratory Analysis of Potential Water Savings, Costs and Benefits of Turf Replacement in Colorado. No past projects will be rebate eligible. A new turf replacement program, set to roll out in Colorado in 2023, will pay to convert some of the grass in urban areas and residential yards into more water-efficient landscaping. This is the first time the State of Colorado has dedicated funds expressly to turf replacement. Projects must be submitted between Jan. 15th, 2023 and Aug. 1st, 2023. The city rebates up to 2,000 square feet of lawn removed per single-family residence. Projects over 1,000sqft do qualify for the rebate program, but rebates will only apply up to 1000sqft of design work. Click here to learn more about what can and can't be funded. 6. Starting in 2020, the City will pay eligible water customers to replace their thirsty bluegrass turf with a more sustainable Colorado Xeriscape landscape. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Date Chamber Action; 2022-06-08 : Governor Signed: 2022-05-25 : Sent to the Governor First funding cycle intake period closes. An Iowa native, he joined the paper in November 2019 after stints at the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Lawrence Journal World in Kansas and the Sioux City Journal in Iowa. Montrose County proudly valuable resources, through a rebate program for turf replacement. In response to the ongoing drought in Colorado, the General Assembly passed HB 22-1151 to promote the efficient and maximum utilization of Colorados water resources by decreasing the amount of irrigated turf within the state. Be Nice. ft. up to 1,000 sq. Individual homeowners do not qualify as eligible entities for the state's turf replacement program. Bennett said, "There is no room in this city for 'keep off the grass'. residents must participate in the cohort model program to receive a rebate. Parkway Projects Residential customers (homes and rental properties) can receive $0.75/square foot up to 1,000 square feet, or up to $750, per approved project, per address. All parts of your design must be submitted before you start your project. Threats of harming another Colorado Introduces a Bill to Incentivize Removal of Turf Grass to Save Water February 11, 2022 "The bill requires Colorado water conservation board to develop a statewide program to provide financial incentives for voluntary replacement of irrigated turf with water wise landscaping (turf replacement program)" Rebates can be received as a check or as a credit to your water account. Low-water use grass can replace high water use grass. So, what does this mean for water conservation? Under the bill, "water-wise" landscaping includes replacement turf and drought-tolerant plants that require less water to . They are not retroactive or intended for projects already completed outside the program. Convert or adjust your irrigation system. The board will contract with one or more third parties to administer one or more turf replacement programs in areas where local turf replacement programs do not exist. If your project covers at least 200sqft of maintained irrigated turf grass with low/no water wise plantings, you qualify! The program will explain Metropolitan's Turf Replacement Program guidelines to better help residential or commercial customers. A bill would expand grass buyouts statewide and double local payments. The second runs from July 1 - September 30. Planting design must show estimated plant size at maturity and that the no more than 25% bare mulch requirement will be met. Save with a $250 rebate on a furnace and a $500-$1,000 rebate on a heat pump. We have plenty of resources to help with your DIY landscape, to find them head over to our education page. A 500-square-foot minimum size applies to all projects unless it is for the entire front yard or curbside area (the grass between the sidewalk and the street). Residential Efficiency Tip Jared Polis on Wednesday. Applications must include matching funds that provide a dollar-for-dollar match for the funds being requested. Residents who voluntarily replace the turf with. Eligible turf replacement projects can receive up to $25,000 in rebates per residential propertythat's huge! If you use a windshield cover, you can at least forget about scrapping the ice off your windshield to save some time and hassle. Allocated Funding . Can you plan a turf replacement project if you live in an HOA? Our conservation staff will design a professional landscape that is aesthetically pleasing and meets city code. In example, drip system retrofit kits, switching to hand-watering, etc. Along Colorados Front Range, outdoor water use accounts for nearly 55% of the residential water use, the majority used on lawns, Colorado State University estimates. This is unprecedented: Avian flu has killed 12,000 birds in Colorado, Who is running for Denver mayor? Yes. The CWCB worked with BBC Research and Consulting on an Exploratory Analysis of Potential Water Savings, Costs and Benefits of Turf Replacement in Colorado.How much funding is available?After paying for staff and database development, CWCB has about $1.5M to spend across the funding cycles - that's approximately $750,000 for each of the two identified funding cycles. racist or sexually-oriented language. Concerning measures to incentivize water-wise landscapes, and, in connection therewith, creating a state program to finance the voluntary replacement of irrigated turf and making an appropriation. The Colorado state Capitol building in Denver. Jared Polis gives final approval, Feds sue water company for rupture damaging Rocky Mountain National Park again. Michael Booth 4:08 AM MST on Feb 9, 2022 Who makes the best hot chicken sandwich in Denver? DENVER (KDVR) Getting rid of irrigated turf could pay off now that Gov. Rebates are not retroactive. After considering staffing costs, CWCB estimates this equates to roughly $750,000 per funding cycle for FY 22-23 and FY 23-24. Staff will follow-up on each submitted application in April. CWCB is planning two funding cycles in 2023. Since launching in 2018 the program has helped property owners replace more than 150,000 square feet of turf, saving an estimated 32 million gallons of water. Not completing the submission will result in not receiving a rebate for your project. Fridge/Freezer. The rebate is up to $4,000 max paid out over two years. The first intake process runs from January 25 - March 31. Marshall fire victims protested green building codes as too expensive. Conrad Swanson covers Colorados environment and politics for The Denver Posts political team. Funding for development of new turf replacement programs. (Photo by RoschetzkyIstockPhoto, istockphoto), Colorado to incentivize residents to replace grass lawns with water-saving landscaping, Polis vetoes bill requiring commercial, multifamily buildings to have electric car charging stations, Polis approves $1,000 in tax credits to help older Coloradans with housing costs, Polis OKs reporting requirements for Colorados health care sharing ministries, Aurora City Council considers Colorado's first-ever cool weather turf ban for new development. Please contact us if you are interested in receiving this 1-on-1 landscape maintenance assistance. Staff will evaluate applications based on applicant eligibility, compliance with program requirements, and the merit of the program (i.e. When is the next funding cycle?CWCB is planning two funding cycles in 2023. In Colorado, Greeley's turf replacement program, called Life after Lawn, is younger but still successful, said Water Conservation Manager Dena Egenhoff. Subscribe to Colorado Politics today! JoinCWCB's public email list to receive theConfluence Newsletter (every other month), which includesthe latest Colorado water updates and significant updates from Board Meetings. SESSION: 2022 Regular Session SUBJECT: Water BILL SUMMARY or anything. Resource Central's new lawn replacement program makes going xeric easy by combining lawn removal services, free Garden in a Box kits, and waterwise landscape advice and support. For more information about xeriscaping and other ways to conserve water visit Denver Water. The program boosted funding for turf replacement by $350 million. Living in the cohort model program to further incentivize residents to replace their thirsty bluegrass turf with a sustainable. 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