EPA Press Office:

EPA partners with North Dakota and Wyoming communities to foster equitable, sustainable development strategies

Contact: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov) 

DENVER – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Mandan, North Dakota, will receive technical, environmentally-focused assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program.  

Together, EPA and these communities will pursue development strategies that expand upon existing EPA Brownfields revitalization efforts, aiming to advance clean air, clean water, equitable development and other local goals. 

“Many communities are looking to grow in ways that create economic opportunity and enhance quality of life while protecting the environment,” said KC Becker, EPA Regional Administrator. “EPA’s Building Blocks program provides assistance with proven development strategies to help Cheyenne and Mandan plan for a healthier, more vibrant future.” 

EPA’s Office of Community Revitalization selected communities through a targeted outreach effort in a partnership with the Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization and Regional offices across the U.S. This technical assistance will help communities: 

• Ensure their development decisions address environmental justice concerns in underserved and overburdened communities. 
• Preserve their natural resources and community character, while allowing for economic growth. 
• Create vibrant, walkable and revitalized neighborhoods.  

Cheyenne will use Building Blocks tools to address urban sprawl, housing shortages and affordability issues. Cheyenne has experienced steady growth in recent years and has recently begun to address these issues through proposed and recently passed code amendments. Cheyenne intends to apply a smart growth lens to current codes and identify strategies to foster compact, mixed-use development.  

“Our community will address challenges related to stormwater, green space and transportation options through the Building Blocks process,” said Lonnie Olson, Cheyenne city planner.  

Mandan is bringing together stakeholders to prioritize concerns and elevate solutions to revitalize an underutilized corridor in town.  

“We strive to create a vibrant neighborhood with high-quality residential units that meet market demands and enhance accessibility for residents,” said Mandan City Administrator Jim Neubauer. "We will identify stakeholder concerns and priorities and identify plans to address them.” 

In 2024, EPA staff will lead projects in 10 communities nationally, including convening federal, state, regional and local partners, and contractor support, for two-day in-person workshops. The projects will address development-oriented and equity issues on two topics: Planning for Equitable Development and Sustainable Strategies for Small Cities and Rural Communities.  

Other recipients of the 2024 Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program are:  

• The Passamaquoddy Tribe of Point Pleasant, Maine 
• The Akwesasne/St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, N.Y.  
• The Shinnecock Indian Nation, N.Y.  
• Austin, Minn. 
• Manitowoc, Wis. 
• Jennings, Mo. 
• Chiloquin, Ore. 
• Palouse, Wash. 

Since 2011, the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program has provided assistance to over 200 communities in 47 states. With this assistance, community groups, local governments and tribal governments across the nation have increased their capacity to protect the environment, improve public health, expand economic opportunity, prepare for the effects of climate change and improve overall quality of life. 

Learn more about all 10 recipients at the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program webpage.