Speak out for EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities

If new development threatened to pollute your drinking water, who would you look to for help? If your children had to walk past a contaminated empty lot on their way to school, how would you go about fixing it?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Sustainable Communities helps towns and cities address these kinds of problems. These issues pose a threat not only to our health but to our economy, and the Office of Sustainable Communities helps local leaders protect both.

But now the Office itself is in danger. Congress is debating funding for fiscal year 2012, and now is a crucial time to tell your Members of Congress that you support these important programs.

Please take a moment to voice your support: email your Members of Congress today.

The EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities does more than just protect air and water quality. The Office helps communities develop in ways that are fiscally sound and support their economy for decades to come. And as part of the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities, the Office also helps make the most of taxpayer investments.

Tell Congress that you support the work of the EPA: send an email today.

Emailing your Members of Congress is easy and only takes a few minutes, but your letter could make all the difference. Please take a moment to email Congress today.

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"Brownfields Redevelopment, Community Revitalization, and Regional Planning: Making It Work Together" webinar materials now available

Thank you to everyone who attended SGA’s Sustainable Communities Network “Brownfields Redevelopment, Community Revitalization, and Regional Planning: Making It Work Together” earlier this week.

We heard from Adhir Kackar and Stacy Swartwood of the Environmental Protection Agency on how the federal government is working to streamline investments in community brownfield redevelopment and regional planning efforts, particularly through the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. We then heard the stories and lessons learned from the community of Ranson, West Virginia already working on brownfield cleanup in conjunction with other economic development projects from Dawn Seeburger, Environmental Resources & Consulting.

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Upcoming Webinar: Brownfields Redevelopment, Community Revitalization, and Regional Planning: Making It Work Together

Join us Tuesday, October 25th at 4:00 PM ET for the next Sustainable Communities Network webinar: “Brownfields Redevelopment, Community Revitalization, and Regional Planning: Making It Work Together.” This event is hosted by Smart Growth America and NALGEP.

We will hear from the Environmental Protection Agency on how the federal government is working to streamline investments in community brownfield redevelopment and regional planning efforts, particularly through the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. We then will hear the stories and lessons learned from a community in West Virginia already working on brownfield cleanup in conjunction with other economic development projects.

Speakers include Adhir Kackar and Stacy Swartwood from the EPA; and Dawn Seeburger, Environmental Resources & Consulting who is currently working on brownfields issues in Ranson.

What: “Brownfields Redevelopment, Community Revitalization, and Regional Planning: Making It Work Together”
When: Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 at 4:00 PM ET
Where: Webinar information will be sent to registrants
RSVP: Click here to register
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How-to workshops help small towns implement smart growth strategies

A new series of free workshops on smart growth development are catching the attention of policy makers and community leaders across the country.

The set of 12 workshops, run by Smart Growth America and several partner organizations, are designed to show local leaders how smart growth strategies can support a local economy and protect the environment while preserving the character of a town and making it more attractive to visitors or new residents.

The one or two-day workshops address a number of smart growth topics, including how to create pedestrian-friendly streets, the benefits of regional planning, innovative parking policies, and zoning changes that benefit small cities. “Transportation Performance Measurement,” for instance, empowers citizens and elected leaders to look at the roads, transit systems, walkways and bike lanes in their area as tools for achieving their objectives for economic vitality, public health, environmental protection and neighborhood character – in addition to the classic transportation objectives of access, circulation and travel.

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Partnership for Sustainable Communities Web Briefing materials now available

Thank you to everyone who attended SGA’s Sustainable Communities Network “Partnership for Sustainable Communities Web Briefing” earlier this week.

Smart Growth America hosted senior leadership from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the White House Office of Public Affairs on the briefing and provided an opportunity to ask questions and receive updates on this year’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities grants, where the Partnership stands in the fiscal year 2012 budget, and upcoming announcements and opportunities. We also heard about the American Jobs Act and a joint report to Congress from DOT and HUD on barriers to coordinated transportation and housing investments.

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Support the Partnership for Sustainable Communities

When cities, towns and suburbs plan their future transportation, housing, water and sewer infrastructure and public services strategically, they save money and so does the federal government. The Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a collaboration between the EPA, DOT and HUD, is about making that type of planning possible. 45 regions containing 80 million Americans in rural, suburban and urban communities are already benefiting from the Partnership programs.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on funding for the Partnership tomorrow, and now is a crucial time to ask your Senators to support these programs. Calling your members of Congress is simple and only takes a few minutes: click here to find out how to call your Senators.

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Cuts to the Partnership for Sustainable Communities will hurt communities across the country

Over 200 communities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia have received grants or assistance through the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Partnership has helped communities plan for growth that will strengthen their regions and their economies, but funding for the program is under threat in 2012’s federal budget.

Speak out for these communities: Tell the Senate to fund the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

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Take action: Partnership for Sustainable Communities in real danger

In the past week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to strip funding for the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Senate will consider funding for the Partnership in the coming days, and now is the time to tell your Senators to maintain funding for this important program.

These are tough economic times, which makes it even more important to keep the innovative programs that put federal dollars to good use rebuilding our local economies, strengthening our communities, and creating jobs.

Tell your Senators: Protect funding for the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Earlier this year when the Partnership was under threat, the voices of smart growth supporters made a real difference and funding was preserved. Now we need your voices to be heard even louder.

Make sure that Congress knows we will not accept shortsighted cuts that sacrifice the health of our communities.

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Take action: Partnership for Sustainable Communities in Real Danger

The U.S. House of Representatives just stripped funding for the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Senate will consider funding for the Partnership next Thursday. NOW is the time to tell your Senators to maintain funding for this important program.

These are tough economic times, which makes it even more important to keep the innovative programs that put federal dollars to good use rebuilding our local economies, strengthening our communities, and creating necessary jobs.

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