EPA Boosts Efforts to Revitalize Richmond’s Bellemeade Community

Press release:

EPA Boosts Efforts to Revitalize Richmond’s Bellemeade Community

(RICHMOND, Va. - September 7, 2012) Funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will support the City of Richmond’s efforts to transform the southside community of Bellemeade into a greener, healthier neighborhood. The City will use the nearly $60,000 EPA urban waters grant to create the Bellemeade Watershed Coalition and assist the group in restoring Bellemeade Creek.

“Restoring urban waters is essential to revitalizing the health, livability and economic future of communities, especially historically underserved neighborhoods like Bellemeade,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “EPA’s funding is helping empower local stakeholders to play an active role in cleaning up their communities and creating neighborhood places that offer recreational and economic value for years to come.”

Bellemeade community members have been working with the City in developing a Watershed Concept Plan for restoring the water quality and health of Bellemeade Creek, making it a key educational resource for a new community school and recreational asset for use by residents.

EPA’s funding will also help build the coalition’s capacity by providing workshops on preventing pollution, creating a web-based interactive watershed map and other activities.

Ellen Gilinsky, a senior advisor in EPA’s national Office of Water, and Jon Capacasa, director of EPA’s regional water protection division, toured the Bellemeade watershed today with Richmond officials and stakeholders who will be part of the new coalition.

EPA’s Urban Waters program helps cities unlock the potential of their waterways and the land around them to better serve the needs of their communities. For more information on EPA’s Urban Waters program visit http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html   

EPA Awards $55,600 to Promote Deckers Creek Restoration

Press release:

EPA Awards $55,600 to Promote Deckers Creek Restoration

Friends of Deckers Creek in W.V. Receives EPA Urban Waters Small Grant

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (August 20, 2012) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today joined city, state and non-profit officials in announcing $55,600 in federal funding to help pave the way for cleaning up mine pollution affecting Deckers Creek and highlighting the economic benefits of creek restoration.

“Today we begin a new chapter in the history of Deckers Creek – one holding great promise for both the health of the creek and the city’s economy,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “This project clarifies the connection between economic investment and resource restoration, while generating the necessary information for treating polluted water.”

The highly competitive grant from the EPA Urban Waters program will fund a study of an abandoned underground coal mine discharging polluted water into Deckers Creek, which runs for three miles through the City of Morgantown. The study will aid in the eventual treatment of the mine water.

The funds will also help initiate a public education campaign to advise business owners and the city’s development community about the economic potential of restoring Deckers Creek, and forming a community partnership to take the next steps in the process.

The grant was awarded to Friends of Deckers Creek, a community-based non-profit watershed group working to clean up Deckers Creek, a tributary of the Monongahela River that flows from Preston County into Monongalia County, W.Va. The creek is impacted by acid mine drainage and other pollution issues.

EPA’s Urban Waters program helps cities unleash the potential of their waterways and land around them. The funding supports communities’ efforts to access, improve and benefit from their urban waters and surrounding land.

Information on EPA’s Urban Waters program: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html.

EPA provides $50K to help Urban Land Conservancy improve water quality at Denver transit-oriented development

Press release:

EPA provides $50K to help Urban Land Conservancy improve water quality at Denver transit-oriented development

 Design features to reduce polluted runoff at Blake Street redevelopment part of $950,000 nationally to advance “green infrastructure”

Contacts: EPA: Richard Mylott (303)312-6654; Stacey Eriksen (303)312-6692;

Urban Land Conservancy: Christi Longsdorf (303)377-4477

(Denver, Colo., July 19, 2012) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing $50,000 in technical assistance to develop innovative green infrastructure options for a new transit-oriented housing development near the Blake/38^th commuter-rail station in downtown Denver. The Urban Land Conservancy will use the EPA resources to assess and integrate design features that will reduce polluted runoff and protect water quality. Today’s announcement is part of $950,000 EPA is providing for projects across the country to improve water quality through green infrastructure.

“Polluted runoff is a significant source of water quality impairment in the Denver area,” said Stacey Eriksen, EPA’s Urban Watershed Coordinator. “EPA expects this project will help demonstrate that there are practical, cost-effective ways to reduce the amount of pollution entering storm drains and the South Platte River. The Urban Land Conservancy has expressed a clear commitment to making the Blake TOD redevelopment an example of sustainability.”

The $50K in EPA support will enable the Urban Land Conservancy, working with architects, civil engineers, and various city departments, to assess and integrate specific green infrastructure features -- such as permeable surfaces, landscaping, rooftop detention, green roofs, rain gardens and stormwater planters -- into the design of the Blake mixed-use development. While specific features will be determined by the project team, this assistance will result in a reduction in the amount of polluted runoff from entering storm drains and the South Platte River through rain and snow melt. This project also complements efforts by the City of Denver to address stormwater conditions in conjunction with area planning and station platform construction by the Regional Transportation District (RTD).

"This collaboration comes at a perfect time as many components are coming together around the redevelopment of Blake,” said Debra Bustos, Director of Real Estate at Urban Land Conservancy.  "It is always ULC's goal to incorporate sustainable features into our real estate, and we are grateful for EPA's assistance in transforming this blighted property with forward- thinking green infrastructure."

The currently vacant property is a blighted infill site of assembled parcels with zoning that will support up to 130 affordable rental units. Environmental assessments have been completed including a brownfields assessment and removal of two tanks. One burned out structure has been demolished and removed and a second one will be demolished in the next few weeks.

Green infrastructure decreases pollution to local waterways by treating rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems. In addition to protecting Americans’ health by decreasing water pollution, green infrastructure provides many community benefits including increased economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy savings and increased open space. The EPA funding is intended to increase incorporation of green infrastructure into stormwater management programs and will support work such as code review, green infrastructure design and cost-benefit assessments.

“Effective stormwater management is one of the most widespread challenges to water quality in the nation,” said Nancy Stoner, EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for Water. Stoner announced the funds today at a stormwater symposium in Baltimore held by the Water Environment Federation. “Polluted stormwater can be harmful to the health of our nation’s waterbodies. These funds will help expand the use of green infrastructure, revitalize local neighborhoods and help safeguard people’s health and the environment.”

In April 2011, EPA renewed its commitment to green infrastructure with the release of the “Strategic Agenda to Protect Waters and Build More Livable Communities through Green Infrastructure.” The agenda identifies community partnerships as one of five key activities that EPA will pursue to accelerate the implementation of green infrastructure and EPA announced partnerships with 10 “model communities.”

In February 2012, EPA announced the availability of $950,000 in technical assistance to a second set of partner communities to help overcome some of the most common barriers to green infrastructure. EPA received letters of interest from over 150 communities across the country.

More information: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_support.cfm

EPA Awards Grant to Cleveland Botanical Garden to Use Vacant Lots to Protect Water Quality

Press release:

Media Contact: Phillippa Cannon, 312-353-6218, cannon.phillippa@epa.gov

For Immediate Release                                                                                No. 12 – OPA053

EPA Awards Grant to Cleveland Botanical Garden to Use Vacant Lots to Protect Water Quality

Chicago (July 12, 2012) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $59,680 under its Urban Waters Small Grants program to the Cleveland Botanical Garden to improve vacant land in Cleveland neighborhoods and reduce stormwater runoff to Lake Erie and its tributaries.

“EPA’s Urban Waters program provides grants to protect and improve water quality and revitalize urban areas,” said EPA Regional Administrator Susan Hedman. “This grant will help to improve water quality in Lake Erie and transform vacant lots in Cleveland neighborhoods.”

The Botanical Garden will cover 12 vacant lots with a mixture of dredge material, wood chips and compost, and plant low-maintenance groundcover. These efforts will improve soil nutrient levels, reduce lead toxicity in soil and reduce stormwater runoff. The deep roots of low-maintenance lawns absorb more water than regular grass and stabilize soil, preventing erosion. The improved appearance of the lots will help stabilize neighborhoods and reduce the city’s maintenance costs associated with mowing and caring for vacant urban land.

“Ultimately, this grant allows us to strengthen Cleveland neighborhoods by taking vacant land and turning it into productive green space that people can enjoy,” said Natalie Ronayne, Executive Director of Cleveland Botanical Garden. “Finding creative ways to use empty urban lots is important for Cleveland and all major cities because it energizes people in communities that have seen so many houses and businesses abandoned. By adding urban farms, gardens and parks, we’re building vibrant, healthier neighborhoods and protecting our precious water resource -- Lake Erie -- at the same time.”

The goal of the Urban Waters program is to fund research, studies, training and demonstration projects that improve water quality through activities that also support community revitalization and other local priorities. This year, EPA has awarded $2.7 million to 46 organizations in 32 states and Puerto Rico.

In the upper Midwest region, Urban Waters Small Grants were also awarded to:

Friends of the Chicago River, Chicago, Illinois, which received $60,000 to increase public understanding and support of the natural value of the Chicago River and open space.

The City of Indianapolis, Indiana, which received $60,000 to promote watershed-friendly practices and encourage land owners and managers to take steps to reduce stormwater runoff.

Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission, Green Bay, Wisconsin, which received $59,995 to conduct water quality monitoring at Bay Beach in Green Bay to identify sources of pollution.

The University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, Wisconsin, which received $59,979 to establish a water quality and biota monitoring program to examine lead in marsh sediment.

More information about EPA’s Urban Waters program is available on EPA’s Website: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html.

$60,000 Grant to Kansas State University

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

$60,000 Grant to Kansas State University

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov (news media only)

Environmental News

NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY

(Kansas City, Kan., July 11, 2012) - Josh Svaty, EPA Region 7 senior advisor; Barbara Goode, Kansas State University pollution prevention specialist; Martha Tasker, City of Salina, Kan., director of utilities; Troy Vancil, Friends of the River past president, and others will hold a news conference Friday, July 13, to announce a $60,000 urban waters grant from EPA to Kansas State University (KSU).

KSU and partners, including the City of Salina and Friends of the River, will establish a water quality monitoring program to teach residents of Salina about ways to reduce pollutants in the Old Smoky Hill River Channel in Salina. The river channel receives stormwater runoff from approximately five square miles. The educational program will focus on prevention of stream bank erosion and adoption of green infrastructure practices.

The funding is part of EPA’s Urban Waters Program, which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve and benefit from urban waters and surrounding land.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, economic, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, EPA will help communities become active participants in restoring urban waters while improving and protecting their neighborhoods.

EPA’s Urban Waters Program supports the goals and principles of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a partnership of 12 federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts.

WHAT: Announcement of $60,000 urban waters grant

WHEN: 12:30 p.m., Friday, July 13, 2012

WHERE: Old Smoky Hill River Channel (Oakdale Park at the intersection of Fourth and South Streets, Salina, Kan. 67401)

WHO: Josh Svaty, EPA Region 7 senior advisor; Barbara Goode, Kansas State University pollution prevention specialist; Martha Tasker, City of Salina, Kan., director of utilities; and Troy Vancil, Friends of the River past president

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$59,876 Grant to University of Nebraska-Lincoln

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

$59,876 Grant to University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., July 10, 2012) - EPA is providing a $59,876 urban waters grant to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) to evaluate the effectiveness of the Saddle Hills neighborhood’s green infrastructure in metropolitan Omaha, Neb.

UNL and partners, including the City of Omaha and the Nebraska Forest Service, will assess green infrastructure practices by creating a water quality assessment database and developing a stormwater mobile application for smartphones and mobile devices. The application will allow users, such as local residents, youth, master gardeners and city staff, to learn about ways to reduce stormwater runoff.

“Green infrastructure and stormwater management strategies play a critical role in water quality improvement by reducing runoff that carries multiple contaminants into streams and rivers,” said Karl Brooks, regional administrator. “The project will empower community residents and land owners to look at stormwater as an asset rather than a waste product, and will increase public awareness and grassroots participation through workshops about urban water quality.”

The funding is part of EPA’s Urban Waters Program, which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve and benefit from urban waters and surrounding land.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, economic, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, EPA will help communities become active participants in restoring urban waters while improving and protecting their neighborhoods.

EPA’s Urban Waters Program supports the goals and principles of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a partnership of 12 federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts.

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EPA Awards $317,000 for Environmental Grants in Providence, R.I.

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
July 3, 2012

Contact:  David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

EPA Awards $317,000 for Environmental Grants in Providence, R.I.
Brownfields job training grant & urban water protection grants

(Boston, Mass. – July 3, 2012) – EPA is providing a total of $317,000 to three Rhode Island organizations.  One grant will provide job training for environmental work, and two grants will help address urban water quality issues, all of which will contribute to cleaner, healthier communities.

Groundwork Providence, Brownfield Job Training Grant, $200,000
Under EPA’s Brownfields “Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training” program, a $200,000 EPA grant will assist Groundwork Providence to train 54 students, and place at least 45 graduates in environmental jobs. Groundwork Providence will track graduates for at least one year to assist students’ transition to the workforce.

The training program includes 40-hour HAZWOPER, Underground Storage Tank leak prevention, solid waste management and recycling, wastewater management, lead abatement supervisor, innovative treatment technologies, construction safety and innovative technologies for water issues. In addition, supplemental training in integrated pest management, wastewater treatment operator, or underground storage tank operator will be offered to select students. Participants who complete the core training program will earn six state or federal certifications. 

Groundwork Providence is targeting unemployed and underemployed residents of Providence, Woonsocket, Central Falls, and Pawtucket, and will partner with the Providence Housing Authority, Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston, Family Success Centers, and the West Elmwood Housing Corp.

“EPA’s Brownfield Job Training grants can be a real catalyst helping to change peoples’ lives for the better,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.  “Investing to provide people with the skills to earn a good living are also helping to protect the health of the local community by targeting historically disadvantaged neighborhoods where environmental cleanups and jobs are often most needed.”

Since 1998, EPA has awarded more than $42 million nationally under the Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training program. As of June 2012, approximately 10,300 individuals had completed training and approximately 7,300 obtained employment in the environmental field, with an average starting hourly wage of $14.12. The development of this green workforce will allow the trainees to develop skills that will make them competitive in the construction and redevelopment fields.

Graduates of the program are equipped with skills and certifications in various environmental fields including lead and asbestos abatement, environmental site sampling, construction and demolition debris recycling, underground storage tank removal, ecological restoration, and green building techniques. Graduates use these skills to improve the environment and people’s health while supporting economic development in their communities.


More information on EPA environmental workforce development and job training grants: 
(http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/pilot_grants.htm)
Urban Water Quality Improvement Grants


In two separate grants, EPA is awarding $117,000 to two organizations working to address water quality impairments in urban areas of Rhode Island.

Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island, Providence, $60,000

The Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island will team up with Urban Pond Procession and Groundwork Providence to creatively engage residents of the Reservoir Triangle neighborhood through educational and training initiatives to generate citizen energy for restoring water quality in Mashapaug Pond, the last remaining natural pond in Providence. 

The project will involve community assessments to understand stormwater impacts to the pond.  Homeowners and school children will learn about stormwater pollution sources at home and receive hands-on education about residential and neighborhood stormwater practices that homeowners can employ.  Residents will be invited to participate in neighborhood tours to identify locations and opportunities to craft rain gardens, disconnect drain spouts and capture rain, etc.  Project partners will also work with green-job graduates on community assessments to locate potential landscape sites designed to treat runoff, and train residents on basic practices that reduce runoff into the pond.

"On behalf of the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island, I am thrilled to receive this EPA Urban Waters grant. The project this grant will fund is less of a "project" and much more a continuation of years of foundational work we have done in the Reservoir Triangle neighborhood, along with our partners, to reclaim Mashapaug Pond and create a vibrant, safe, and restored natural area for Providence residents.  We could not have done this without the steady support of the EPA, from our early days with the CARE grant, through today,” said Amelia Rose, Director of Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island.

Narragansett Bay Estuary Program/Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association, Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and Central Falls, R.I., $57,000

The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association and the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program will lead an effort to develop an “Urban Waters Fish Community Monitoring Program” to target restoration actions to improve water quality for Providence’s urban environments.  Narragansett Bay Estuary Program will lead an effort to develop an “Urban Waters Fish Community Monitoring Program” to target restoration actions to improve water quality for Providence’s urban environments.  Under the project, they will develop a fish community monitoring program for three wadeable urban rivers and tributaries: the Moshasshuck River, Woonasquatucket River and the Blackstone River, flowing through urban areas around Providence, R.I. Existing historic fish and water quality data will be assembled and analyzed to establish baseline data, develop urban river habitat assessments and identify areas where no previous information is available. The project will identify issues and related urban conditions and then target locations for water quality restoration actions. It will engage the urban community to provide citizen-scientist education program(s), develop a monitoring protocol for volunteer monitoring procedures and to hold workshops to provide volunteer training for long term monitoring.  Data and assessments will strengthen community and watershed organizations and enliven communication with city and state officials to support restoration efforts.

“For the past year, the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program has been working with watershed organizations and state agency representatives to develop indicators that will describe the condition of the rivers and streams in the Narragansett Bay watershed. Although we were interested in describing the health of the fish communities in the rivers, we did not have the necessary information. We are excited to use the EPA funding to develop an urban waters fish monitoring program that will help us understand how fish communities are impacted by water quality. We will use the data we collect to identify restoration actions that can be taken to improve water quality and restore urban fish communities,” said Meg Kerr, Watershed Program Manager of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program.

The two Rhode Island grants are part of $2.7 million EPA awarded nationally to 46 organizations in 32 states and Puerto Rico to help restore urban waters. Funding from EPA’s Urban Waters program supports communities’ efforts to protect and restore water quality so they can access, improve and benefit from their urban waters and the surrounding land.


“We are very proud to provide funding to help these groups address urban water quality issues in Rhode Island,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.  “These funds will help restore urban waters and support community revitalization on and near these rivers.”

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, economic, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. By awarding these small grants to restore urban waterways, EPA will help communities become active participants in restoring urban waters while improving and protecting their neighborhoods.

More Information on EPA’s Urban Waters program (http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html)

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$59,876 Grant to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Press release:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

$59,876 Grant to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., July 3, 2012) - EPA is providing a $59,876 urban waters grant to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) to evaluate the effectiveness of neighborhood green infrastructure in metropolitan St. Louis, Mo.

SIUE and partners, including the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, the City of St. Louis and Habitat for Humanity of St. Louis, will conduct a study in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood in north St. Louis. Previously installed rain gardens and planter boxes are examples of green infrastructure practices that will be evaluated for their impact on reducing stormwater runoff to combined sewers. The grant also will be used for workshops for neighborhood residents on how to effectively maintain rain gardens and planter boxes.

“This project will benefit JeffVanderLou neighborhood residents, university students and the entire St. Louis community,” said Karl Brooks, regional administrator. “Rain gardens help remove pollutants and reduce stormwater runoff.”

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, economic, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, EPA will help communities become active participants in restoring urban waters while improving and protecting their neighborhoods.

EPA’s Urban Waters Program supports the goals and principles of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a partnership of 12 federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community-led revitalization efforts.

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EPA Provides Grants to Newark, New Jersey Community Group to Educate People about the Passaic River’s History and Ecosystem

Press release:

EPA Provides Grants to Newark, New Jersey Community Group

to Educate People about the Passaic River’s History and Ecosystem

Ironbound Community Corporation to Receive $60,000

Contact: John Martin, (212) 637-3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov

(New York, N.Y. – June 29, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is providing a $60,000 grant to the Ironbound Community Corporation, a community organization in the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey, to educate the community about the history and ecology of the Passaic River and what can be done to protect it. The funding is part of the EPA’s Urban Waters program, which supports community efforts to restore and revitalize local canals, rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, estuaries, bays and ocean areas and provide access to them. The Ironbound Community Corporation is the largest comprehensive social service provider in the area.

"Urban waterways like the Passaic River have been battered by toxic and sewage pollution for too long," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "By providing these grants, the EPA is supporting efforts to educate the public about the history of the Passaic River and the need to work together to clean it up.”

The Ironbound Community Corporation will offer a series of river tours and “walkshops” to introduce Newark residents to the Passaic River’s history and ecosystem. The programs will include a series of walks along the river’s edge to celebrate the river and educate participants about what they can do to improve the river. The Ironbound Community Corporation will also produce a Back to the River brochure and map depicting the history and current state of the Lower Passaic River.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help local businesses grow and enhance educational, recreational, employment and economic opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, the EPA is helping communities become active participants in restoration and protection.

Through the Urban Waters program, the EPA is awarding grants ranging from $30,000 to $60,000 to 46 organizations throughout the nation. The projects selected for the funding will promote the restoration of urban waters through community engagement and outreach, water quality monitoring and studies, and environmental education and training. To view a list of the grant recipients, visit: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding.

Information on the EPA’s Urban Waters program: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html.

Information on the Urban Waters Federal Partnership: http://urbanwaters.gov/.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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EPA Provides Grants to New York State Groups To Educate People about Efforts to Restore Urban Rivers

Press release:

EPA Provides Grants to New York State Groups

To Educate People about Efforts to Restore Urban Rivers

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Groundwork Hudson Valley

and Rocking the Boat to Receive Total of $171,256

Contact: John Martin, (212) 637-3662, martin.johnj@epa.gov 

(New York, N.Y. – June 29, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is providing grants to three community organizations in New York State to help restore urban waters, support community revitalization efforts and protect the health of people living near these waterways. The grants will be awarded to the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Groundwork Hudson Valley and Rocking the Boat, which will focus on the Bronx River. The funding is part of the EPA’s Urban Waters program, which supports community efforts to restore and revitalize local canals, rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, estuaries, bays and ocean areas and provide access to them.

"Urban waterways have been battered by decades of pollution," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "EPA is working hard to improve water quality in urban waterways across the country and some are just beginning to recover. Urban waters can be tremendous community assets and these grants will help communities get involved in protecting these water resources.”

The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater will receive $59,855 to teach youth in the Fall Kill Watershed about watershed science and green infrastructure, and help them design signs to educate and inspire their communities. The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater is an organization that works to preserve and protect the Hudson River and its tributaries, as well as the communities of the Hudson River Valley.

Clearwater will provide technical guidance to about 100 local landowners on how to prevent their properties from contributing to water pollution. The organization will also consult with 20 homeowners about green infrastructure designs for their properties and implement the projects on 10 of them.

Groundwork Hudson Valley will be provided $51,401 to conduct a series of community meetings, planning and training sessions and workshops in Westchester County, New York to educate people living near the Saw Mill River community about water quality and green infrastructure. Groundwork Hudson Valley is an environmental justice non-profit organization that works with communities to improve their physical and social environment. The organization will also conduct outreach to neighborhood residents and businesses, and conduct educational sessions with local students.

Rocking the Boat will receive $60,000 to work with local students and others in hands-on restoration, monitoring, and educational activities both on and around the Bronx River. Rocking the Boat is a community organization that uses boats to inspire young people challenged by economic, educational, and social disadvantages.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help local businesses grow and enhance educational, recreational, employment and economic opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, the EPA is helping communities become active participants in restoration and protection.

Through the Urban Waters program, the EPA is awarding grants ranging from $30,000 to $60,000 to 46 organizations throughout the nation. The projects selected for the funding will promote the restoration of urban waters through community engagement and outreach, water quality monitoring and studies, and environmental education and training. To view a list of the grant recipients, visit http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding.

Information on the EPA’s Urban Waters program: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html.

Information on the Urban Waters Federal Partnership: http://urbanwaters.gov/.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/eparegion2.

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EPA Awards $120,000 to Revitalize Urban Waters of Spicket River and Merrimack River

News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
June 28, 2012
Contact: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017
EPA Awards $120,000 to Revitalize Urban Waters of Spicket River and Merrimack River
(Boston, Mass. – June 28, 2012) – In two separate grants, EPA is awarding $120,000 to two organizations working to clean urban rivers in northeastern Massachusetts.
Grants of $60,000 each to address water quality issues in urban waters will go to Groundwork Lawrence for the “Spicket River Restoration Partnership” in Lawrence, Mass., and to the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments for their project, “Restoring the Merrimack River by Connecting Communities Through Stormwater Education” in the Merrimack River Watershed.
“We are very proud to provide funding to help these groups address urban water quality issues in Massachusetts,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “These funds will help restore urban waters, support community revitalization and protect the health of thousands of people who live, work and recreate on and near these rivers.”
"Urban waters across our nation are brimming with potential. Potential for new businesses to grow and thrive. Potential for educational, recreational and social opportunities," said EPA acting Assistant Administrator for Water Nancy Stoner. "To help tap into that potential, EPA is funding projects across the country to help restore urban waters, support community revitalization and protect American's health."
With the EPA grant, Groundwork Lawrence will take its successful approach of converting ‘brownfields’ into parks and open space to apply it to developing citizen stewardship supporting water quality restoration of the Spicket River. The “Spicket River Restoration Partnership” will engage the community through citizen volunteers for water quality testing to establish a water quality baseline and to further characterize the environmental condition of the river. It will identify stream channel issues and harmful contamination threats such as stormwater infrastructure and combined sewer overflows. Information learned will be integrated into the larger Merrimack River Watershed Council’s efforts.
For the second grant, the Northern Middlesex County of Governments will combine efforts with Merrimack River Watershed Council and other partners to develop stormwater education within the communities, neighborhoods and populations in the Merrimack River region and elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Partners will develop a training and outreach program designed to educate community citizens, municipal staff and officials about the effects of stormwater on water quality and solutions available to individuals and communities. It will include educational workshops, trainings, and materials and media outlets with various languages for all community citizens.
The two Massachusetts grants are part of $2.7 million EPA awarded nationally to 46 organizations in 32 states and Puerto Rico to help restore urban waters. Funding from EPA’s Urban Waters program supports communities’ efforts to protect and restore water quality so they can access, improve and benefit from their urban waters and the surrounding land.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, economic, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. . By awarding these small grants to restore urban waterways, EPA will help communities become active participants in restoring urban waters while improving and protecting their neighborhoods.

More Information:
- EPA’s Urban Waters program: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html
- All Urban Waters projects funded under this grant program: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding

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EPA Region 7 to Announce Expansion of Environmental Partnerships with Iowa City, Iowa

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

EPA Region 7 to Announce Expansion of Environmental Partnerships with Iowa City, Iowa

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, (913) 551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

Environmental News

NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY

(Kansas City, Kan., June 27, 2012) - EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks, Iowa City Mayor Matt Hayek, and others will hold a news conference Friday, June 29, to announce a new environmental partnership between EPA and the City of Iowa City, Iowa.

EPA is providing a $60,000 urban waters grant to Iowa City for modifications to the Burlington Street Dam, which will result in water quality improvements, improved fish habitat, flood mitigation and revitalization of the Riverfront Crossings District. The funding is part of EPA’s Urban Waters Program, which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve and benefit from urban waters and surrounding land.

EPA has worked closely with the University of Iowa and Iowa City officials to initiate numerous environmental partnerships. One of the university partnerships is related to increasing awareness about the shared value of Iowa’s water resources and the impact of land use along rivers. As part of the Iowa City partnerships, EPA provided a market analysis, transit development study and plans for the Riverfront Crossings District. The plan provides a vision for redevelopment of underutilized properties with a mixture of housing, commercial and civic uses and restoration of the floodplain as a major riverfront park.

WHAT: Announcement of expansion of environmental partnerships with Iowa City

WHEN: 9:00 a.m., June 29, 2012 (Tour of the riverfront for news media will begin at 9:30 a.m.)

WHERE: Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, Room 127, 300 S. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 (Parking is available south of the laboratory on Riverside Drive.)

WHO: EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks, Iowa City Mayor Matt Hayek, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Environmental Services Division Administrator Bill Ehm, University of Iowa Director of Hydroscience and Engineering Larry Weber, and Iowa City Chamber of Commerce Vice President Rebecca Neades

VISUALS: Iowa City officials will share project details during a tour of the riverfront highlighting Burlington Street Dam modifications for improved water quality, riverbank stabilization and fish habitat.

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EPA Awards Over $59,000 to Provide Job Training that Revitalizes Urban Waters

News release:

EPA Awards Over $59,000 to Provide Job Training that Revitalizes Urban Waters

in New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward

(DALLAS – June 27, 2012) The Environmental Protection Agency awarded $59,824 to Groundwork New Orleans to provide training for students working to restore polluted urban waters. The goal of the Urban Waters program is to fund research, studies, training, and demonstration projects that benefit urban waters and the surrounding land. Communities directly benefit from access to natural areas. Urban waters can be canals, rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, estuaries, bays and oceans in urbanized areas.

"By supporting job training for local high school students, this grant will help young people play a part in shaping the future of New Orleans," said EPA Acting Regional Administrator Sam Coleman. "Groundwork New Orleans is helping the Lower Ninth Ward’s effort to restore urban waters and grow local businesses."

Groundwork New Orleans will use their Urban Waters grant funds to help transform vacant and underutilized land into an educational demonstration project called The Green Slice, based in the Lower Ninth Ward. The Green Slice will be designed as a demonstration research site that will teach people about water management and water quality improvement, impacting local urban watersheds. Green Team members will be instrumental in assessing existing water quality and drainage infrastructure. They will then coordinate with other partners to develop plans for testing best management practices. The students will generate educational materials and conduct outreach throughout the project.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, the EPA will help communities become active participants in restoration and revitalization efforts.

Information on EPA’s Urban Waters program is available at http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html
More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

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Five urban water protection efforts in Pacific Northwest and Alaska selected for EPA funding

Press release:

Five urban water protection efforts in Pacific Northwest and Alaska selected for EPA funding

Two public events scheduled this week to announce the projects

Contact: Hanady Kader, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-0454, kader.hanady@epa.gov

(Seattle – June 26, 2012) Five efforts to protect water in urban areas of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska will share a combined total of over $252,000 thanks to funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Urban Waters Program. The projects include creating greener municipal streets in Corvallis, Oregon, restoring downtown streams in Anchorage, Alaska and helping a Port Townsend, Washington museum launch a campaign that expands understanding of pollution pathways to Puget Sound.

The funding comes from the EPA Urban Waters Program, which supports communities in their efforts to access, improve and benefit from their urban waters and the surrounding land. Urban waters can be canals, rivers, lakes, wetlands, aquifers, estuaries, bays and oceans in urbanized areas. Across the country, EPA awarded $2.7 million to 46 organizations in 32 states for urban water initiatives.

EPA officials will attend two events this week in Oregon and Washington to announce the following awards and congratulate the grantees:

• The first event is at the Port Townsend Marine Science Museum at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, June 27^th in Port Townsend, Washington. Christine Pysk, Deputy Associate Director, EPA Region 10 Office of Water and Watersheds, will participate for EPA.
• The second event is from 1:30 – 2:30pm, at the Madison Avenue Meeting Room (500 Madison Avenue, at the corner of Madison and 5^th street) in the City of Corvallis, Oregon. In a combined program, Tony Barber, EPA Oregon State Director, will announce three awards to the City of Corvallis Urban Waters Team; the Lower Rogue Watershed Council; and the Water Quality Monitoring project in the City of Florence, Oregon. Shawn Penrod from the City of Florence and Kelly Sparks, the Watershed Council Coordinator for the Lower Rogue Watershed Council, will also attend.

The additional grants in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are:

Anchorage School District - $30,280

Contact: Bev Thornburg, Anchorage School District, (907) 742-4471

The Chester Creek Community Revitalization Project connects middle school students with the neighboring community and partnering agencies to monitor and restore the water quality of Chester Creek, an important Alaskan watershed and urban stream in Anchorage, Alaska. Begich Middle School serves the Muldoon neighborhood, a densely populated, low-income area with significant stream degradation. The project includes Begich students’ participation in providing water quality and riparian monitoring data for stream restoration and habitat improvement.

City of Corvallis - $45,620

Contact: Iris Benson, City of Corvallis – (541)766-6916

The City of Corvallis will conduct a comprehensive planning effort for green streets as a mechanism to treat storm water, develop alternative transportation routes, expand urban green space, and improve community health. Green streets collect non-point source pollution from city streets through filtration, detention, and evaporation of storm water runoff before it enters into the Willamette River and the city’s urban streams.

Lower Rogue Watershed Council - $59,400 (through) Curry Soil & Water Conservation Dist.

Contact: Liesl Coleman, Manager, Curry Soil & Water Conservation District, 541-247-2755 or Kelly Sparks, Coordinator, Lower Rogue River Watershed Council, 541-247-2755 ext 4#

The project will produce a scientific assessment of the Rogue Estuary that includes historic and current conditions, an analysis of limiting factors, areas for restoration, enhancement, and conservation, and recommendations for projects. The funding also supports education and engagement of the local community with a continuing education class at the local community college, with a sub-set of students trained to collect water quality and related data appropriate for volunteer sampling. The project will support water and environmental quality monitoring.

Finally, it will support an estuary team comprised of community and agency individuals who will use the assessments to develop a community-driven restoration plan for the Rogue Estuary.

Port Townsend Marine Science Center (PTMSC) - $56,848

Contact: Liesl Slabaugh - PTMSM - LSlabaugh@ptmsc.org -(360)385-5582, ext.101

The Port Townsend Marine Science Society will collect data that will expand understanding of the various pathways and fates of toxic pollution in Puget Sound. The project will create a new, permanent, educational and interactive exhibit at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center with the theme "Toxics in the Marine Environment." Local volunteers will assist with designing the exhibit by participating in focus groups. Local volunteers will also collect roof run-off samples from 25 homes in the Port Townsend and Seattle areas for lab analysis against a panel of approximately 100 toxic compounds. This research will fill data gaps on toxics in roof run-off and help inform and influence the development of water restoration techniques, such as rain gardens. Volunteers will have the opportunity to collect tissue samples from deceased seals that will be analyzed for toxic chemicals and phthalates.

City of Florence - $60,000

Contact: Mike Miller, Public Works Director, City of Florence, 541-997-5822

The City of Florence, with an urban area population of over 8,400, will use this grant to continue the EPA-funded Siuslaw Estuary Partnership Surface- and Groundwater Monitoring Program for an additional two years. This grant will continue work to protect the North Florence Sole Source Dunal Aquifer and to protect and improve water quality in Munsel and Ackerley Creeks and the Siuslaw River, classified as an impaired water body.

Many urban waterways have been polluted for years by sewage, runoff from city streets and contamination from abandoned industrial facilities. Healthy and accessible urban waters can help grow local businesses and enhance educational, recreational, employment and social opportunities in nearby communities. By promoting public access to urban waterways, EPA will help communities become active participants in restoration and protection.

To see the national press release announcing the initiative and for a list of projects across the country, visit:

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/c366f60fbeca6aa785257a29005649c3!OpenDocument

Information on EPA’s Urban Waters program: http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/index.html