Environmental Issues

    As a Tree City, Forest Hills and its residents are conscious of the need to protect our environment.  The borough is proud to be a leader in this area with its tree program, recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation.  

    Links on this page are dedicated to ways in which the borough continues to promote environmental awareness among its citizens.  Information is also provided on the various programs offered by the borough.  Please click a link for further information or to read the article shown.  Chapters from the borough's code of ordinances related to each section heading are included at the bottom of the list.  Further information and updates may also be found in recent issues of the borough's newsletter, the Tree City Times.  Copies may be found on the borough's website by clicking TCT.  

    Information can be found on the following topics:



Stormwater Management  (return to top of page)

    Rain Barrel Information - contact the borough office for additional information and the names and numbers of volunteers who can assist residents with installing.  Click the following links for online information:

Rain Barrel Assembly (Montgomery Co Maryland DEP)
Building a Rain Barrel (Maryland Department of the Environment)
Roll Out the Barrels (Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, MD)
Rain Barrels and Cisterns (Low Impact Development Center Inc.)
Rain Barrel Program (3 Rivers Wet Weather Demo. Program)
Rainscapes (Montgomery Co Maryland DEP)

    Protecting Water Quality from Urban Runoff   (EPA brochure)
    Responsible Swimming Pool Care  
    The Soapy Sedan Scummy Streams Connection  
    The Solution to Stormwater Pollution:  A Homeowner's Guide  
    Stormwater and Lawn Fertilizer   (poster)
    Stormwater Conservation in Your Backyard (Maryland Department of the Environment)
    Water:  Use Less, Pay Less (from Churchill Area Environmental Council)
    What Goes into Our Rivers . . . (poster)
    What We Feed into Our Storm Drains . . . (poster)

    Ch. 23 - Stormwater Management

Recycling and Trash Collection  (return to top of page)
    Recycle your used cell phones and empty laser & inkjet printer cartridges:  Drop off these used items in the collection box at the borough office, 2071 Ardmore Blvd.  Call Siobhan Nicklow at 412-351-7330 x200 for further information.

    Businesses:  Why Recycle? (information and report form for all businesses)
    Composting Yard Trimmings & Municipal Solid Waste (EPA)
    Create Your Own Compost Pile (EPA)
    DEP Guide to Home Composting
    Developing a Commercial Recycling Program
    Garbage Q & A - Recycling 101 (An overview for new residents)
    Greenscaping Your Lawn & Garden (EPA)
    PA Recycled Products Manufacturers
    Recycling in Forest Hills - Here's How it Works
   
    Ch. 20 - Solid Waste & Recycling

Sanitary Sewer System (return to top of page)

    Complying with the Clean Water Act (poster)
    How the Sewer System Works (3 Rivers Wet Weather Demo. Program)
    Inflow, Infiltration & Overflows (3 Rivers Wet Weather Demo. Program)
    Information on Municipal Consent Orders (3 Rivers Wet Weather Demo. Program)
    Is Your Roof Flushing Raw Sewage into Our Rivers? (poster)
    Sewage Overflow Basics & the Role of the Homeowner (3 Rivers Wet Weather Demo. Program)

    Ch. 18 - Sewers


Tree Program (return to top of page)

    Arbor Day Foundation Website
    Arbor Day Foundation Tree City Program

    Ch. 25 - Trees


Environmental Organizations of Interest to Residents (return to top of page)

    3 Rivers Wet Weather Demonstration Program - Sanitary and Storm Sewer Issues
    Allegheny County Health Department
    Churchill Area Environmental Council
    Earth911.org
    PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
    PA Department of Environmental Protection
    PA Resources Council
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency


You must have a PDF file viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat (available here), to view the contents of documents referred to here.