U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (Region 7)

Communities Information Digest

*Has this edition of the digest been forwarded to you by a friend or colleague? Would you like to sign up to receive future digests? If so, please send an email to Tegan Vaughn, vaughn.tegan@epa.gov. Thank you!* August 27, 2013 Find us @ www.facebook.com/eparegion7 or https://twitter.com/eparegion7. Note: New items are in *asterisks*.

News
*Greening America's Capitals: Request for Letters of Interest from Capital Cities* EPAs Office of Sustainable Communities is seeking letters of interest from state capital cities interested in receiving design assistance to create a clear and implementable vision of distinctive, environmentally friendly neighborhoods that incorporate smart growth strategies and green infrastructure systems. Letters of interest are due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on September 23, 2013. Design assistance is provided through the Greening Americas Capitals program, administered by EPA. EPA conducts the program in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) through the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Fourteen state capitals plus the District of Columbia have received assistance from the Greening Americas Capitals program to date; up to 5 capital cities will be selected in 2013. Read the Request for Letters of Interest: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/pdf/greencapitals/greening-americas-capitals-letters-of-interest2013.pdf. *Six Cities Selected to Participate in Urban Sustainability Accelerator* Portland State University has selected the first "class" for its Urban Sustainability Accelerator, a year-long program designed specifically for smaller and mid-sized U.S. cities. The six selected cities will receive technical assistance to help them create active transportation networks, integrate land use and transportation planning, support urban infill, and implement techniques for curbing urban sprawl. For more information, please visit: http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25068.

*President Obama Signs Two Bills to Boost Small Hydropower Projects* President Obama on August 9 signed into law two bills aimed at boosting development of small U.S. hydropower projects. The bills, H.R. 267, the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act, and H.R. 678, the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act, are expected to help unlock some of the estimated 60,000 megawatts of untapped U.S. hydropower capacity. H.R. 267 promotes the development of small hydropower and conduit projects and aims to shorten regulatory timeframes of certain other lowimpact hydropower projects, such as projects that add power generation to the nations existing non-powered dams and closed-loop pumped storage projects. H.R. 678 authorizes small hydropower development at existing canals, pipelines, aqueducts, and other manmade waterways owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Such development could provide enough power for 30,000 U.S. homes. For more information, please visit: http://www.hydro.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2013_08_09-Press-Release-President-signs-hydro-bills-into-law-Final.pdf. *2014 Clean Air Excellence Awards Accepting Applications* EPA is accepting applications for the 2014 Clean Air Excellence Awards Program. Through this program, EPA recognizes and honors individuals and organizations whose efforts have helped achieve cleaner air. Award recipients are selected for developing innovative, replicable, and sustainable programs; serving as pioneers in their fields; and improving air quality either directly or indirectly through reduced emissions of criteria pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, and/or greenhouse gases. The five awards categories are: (1) Clean Air Technology; (2) Community Action; (3) Education/Outreach (4) Regulatory/Policy Innovations; and (5) Transportation Efficiency Innovations. All applications for the awards must be mailed or emailed to Jeneva Craig, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Air and Radiation, 6103A, Room 5442L, 1200 Pennsylvania, Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20460, or email at craig.jeneva@epa.gov. Applications must be emailed or postmarked by September 27, 2013. Applications and more information about the awards and their criteria are available on the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee website: http://www.epa.gov/air/cleanairawards/index.html. *Green Town U.S.A. The Handbook for America's Sustainable Future* The inspiring story of resilience, community, and sustainability for Greensburg, Kansas began in 2007, when a massive tornado destroyed the community. Greensburg rebuilt itself using sustainable community redevelopment and energy-efficient technology approaches. This book provides a real-world assessment of a town rebuilding and revitalizing its community using sustainable solutions. For more information, please visit: http://www.hatherleighpress.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781578263127.

Funding Opportunities
August 30: Tribal Support for the National Environmental Information Exchange Network, http://epa.gov/exchangenetwork/grants/ *September 3: High Energy Cost Rural Communities and Bulk Fuel Grants http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-08-02/pdf/201318689.pdf September 10: National Science Foundation (NSF)- Water Sustainability and Climate, http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2013/nsf13535/nsf13535.htm September 10: HUD to Award $109 Million in Choice Neighborhood Grants, http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2013/HUDNo.13-085

September 13: EDA Economic Development Assistance Programs Federal Funding Opportunity, http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=knDpQzXGJ6gWnzy1h6Tn3D1fjKBNK9Fw40vlTDxWx3xrJGpLpCN4!861966415?oppId=208353&mode=VIEW *September 20: FTA Bus Efficiency Enhancements Research and Demonstrations ($3 million) Search for funding opportunity number FTA-2013-003-TRI on the federal grants webpage: http://www07.grants.gov/web/grants/searchgrants.html *September 23: FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program ($23.7 million) Search number DHS-13-MT-047-000-99 on the federal grants webpage: http://www07.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html September 26: USDA Small Business Innovation Research on Air, Water, and Soils Grant, http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/airwaterandsoilssbir.cfm October 8: Healthy Schools: Environmental Factors, Children's Health and Performance, and Sustainable Building Practices, http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2013/2013_star_healthy_schools.html

Meetings, Conferences, & Events

September 5: Building Resilience to Catastrophic Risks through Public-Private Partnerships: A Workshop Washington, D.C. http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1313009/Registration-for-Building-Resilience-to-Catastrophic-Risks-through-Public-Private-PartnershipsSeptember-5-2013-NAS-Building-Washington-DC September 9-11: Reclaiming Vacant Properties5th National Conference Philadelphia, Pennsylvania http://www.communityprogress.net/2013-reclaiming-vacant-properties-conference-pages356.php?utm_source=RVP+Announcement+final+Nov+1.+&utm_campaign=2013+RVP+Announcement+Nov+1&utm_medium=email September 9-12: Implementing Green Infrastructure at Multiple Scales Shepherdstown, West Virginia September 10-12: Sustainability in Manufacturing Chicago Chicago, IL September 11-12: E-Scrap Conference Omni, Orlando, FL September 16-18: Missouri Recycling Association Conference Jefferson City, MO http://www.moraconference.org/sessions-andspeakers.html September 20-22: Pollution Prevention and Lean Principles Arlington, TX September 21-22: 2013 Green Festival Washington, DC *September 23-24: Advancing Sustainable Communities Conference Kansas City, MO http://www.marc.org/agenda.htm September 24-25: Sustainable Communities Conference Dubuque, IA http://gscdubuque.com/ September 24-26: Excellence in Building Science Phoenix, AX September 24-26: 50 Years of Watershed Modeling Boulder, Colorado http://www.engconfintl.org/12ao.html September 25-26: 16th Annual Pollution Prevention Conference and Trade Show Plainfield, IN September 25-28: Urban Waterfronts 2013 Davenport, Iowa *September 28: Concert for the Climate Kansas City Kansas http://www.concertfortheclimate.org/SpreadTheWord.html October 1-2: Mississippi Livable Communities Summit Jackson, Mississippi

October 14-17: Climate Strategies Forum Washington, D.C. http://www.climatestrategiesforum.org/ October 15-16: Sustainability in Manufacturing Texas Houston, TX *October 15-17: 2nd Annual Sustainable Communities Leadership Summit Little Rock, AR https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/tab1.aspx?EventID=1257490 *October 16-17: Essentials for Healthy Home Practitioner Course Kansas City, KS http://www.nchh.org/Training/National-HealthyHomes-Training-Center.aspx October 17-18: Community Indicators Consortium Chicago, Illinois http://www.communityindicators.net/2013chicago October 19-20: 2013 Green Festival Los Angeles, CA October 20-23: Rail~Volution: Building Livable Communities with Transit Seattle, Washington October 21-24: Solar Power International 2013 Chicago, IL October 23-26: Cities Alive 11th Annual Green Roof & Wall Conference San Francisco, CA October 29-Nov. 2: National Preservation Conference Indianapolis, Indiana http://www.preservationnation.org/ November 3-6: Transportation and Development Institute Green Streets, Highways and Development Conference Austin, Texas http://content.asce.org/conferences/greenstreets-highways2013/ November 6-7: Green California Schools Summit Pasadena, California http://www.green-technology.org/gcschools/ November 18-20: Behavior, Energy and Climate Change (BECC) Conference 2013 Sacramento, California http://beccconference.org/ November 21: Massachusetts Smart Growth Conference Boston, Massachusetts http://ma-smartgrowth.org/take-action/smart-growthconference/ta_111112_save-the-date-postcard/

Webinars & Conference Calls

Department of Energy's (DOE) 2013 Tribal Renewable Energy Webinar Series The DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Tribal Energy Program, and Western Area Power Administration are pleased to continue their joint sponsorship of the Tribal Renewable Energy Webinar Series in 2013. The series is intended for tribal leaders and staff who are interested in developing commercial-scale energy projects, responding to utilities' requests for proposals, and learning more about the competitive power market. Each of these webinars focuses on a different aspect of the energy project development process. Taken as a whole, the series is designed to help Tribes identify ways to promote tribal energy self sufficiency and foster economic development and employment on tribal lands through renewable energy and energy efficiency technology development. For recordings and presentations from past webinars, go to www.wapa.gov and click the Renewable link, then click on the tribal webinar series link. There is no charge to participate in the webinars, but registration is required. To register for the upcoming webinars in the series, click on the links provided in the table below. The following webinars will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. August 28: Renewable Energy Market Expectations and Trends September 25: Tribal and Utility Partnership Opportunities October 30: Renewable Energy Case Studies: Tribal and Developer Perspectives August 28, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (MST) Tribal Renewable Energy Webinar: Renewable Energy Market Expectations and Trends Sponsored by DOEs Office of Indian Energy Policy and Program, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Tribal En ergy

Program, and the Western Area Power Administration. The growth and pace of the renewable energy market is driven by many factors, including awareness and concern over remaining non-renewable resources, the need for imported energy and the security issues surrounding that need, and government support and financial incentives. Attend this webinar to hear how these factors and new technologies and applications may impact the future market. This webinar is intended for tribal leaders and staff who are interested in developing commercialscale projects, responding to utility-offered RFPs, and are interested in learning more about the competitive power market. View Webcast Registration for more information. *Webinar: Converting Biogas into Vehicle Fuel, September 5, 10 a.m. (PT)* Sustainable City Network will host a free webinar Sept. 5 that will describe how municipalities and commercial enterprises around the world are converting biogas from wastewater treatment plants, landfills and organic waste into fuel for their light-duty and heavy-duty CNG fleets. Sponsored by Unison Solutions, Inc., this one-hour webinar will show how this waste-to-vehicle-fuel system works and provide a number of case studies from across the country. Join the webinar Thursday, Sept. 5 at 10 a.m. Pacific, 11 a.m. Mountain, noon Central and 1 p.m. Eastern. (Please note your time zone.) To register, please visit: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/421180214?utm_source=SCN+InBox+eNewsletter&utm_campaign=92ca5acbf1-Newsletter_8-21-2013_Admin&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_11e7ac761c-92ca5acbf1188541149. *Solar Energy Webinars* The SunShot Initiative and its partners are hosting three upcoming webinarsand in case you missed it, recordings of this summers Solar Action Webinar Series: Successes from the Rooftop Solar Challenge are now available. -PV Mapper: A Tool for Energy Siting Webinar: On Tuesday, September 17, from 23 p.m. EDT, this webinar will provide an overview of the PVMapper project developed under the SunShot Initiative. This open-source geographic information system (GIS) siting tool is designed to allow utility-scale solar developers to compare multiple potential sites with a focus on reducing balance of system (BOS) soft costs. These soft costs include varibles such as proximity to power infrastructure, endangered species habitat, and potential social implications. Register here. -Solar Action Webinar Series: This summer, the SunShot Initiative and the Solar Outreach Partnership hosted five webinars as part of the Solar Action Webinar Series: Successes from the Rooftop Solar Challenge. Topics such as financing, zoning, net metering, interconnection, and inspection were covered in this series featuring best practices developed by Rooftop Solar Challenge I teams from across the country. Recordings of the series are now available. For more information, please visit: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/solar/newsletter/detail.cfm/articleId=428. September 18, 3:00-4:00 p.m.* (EST) Webinar: Smart Growth and Economic Success: Benefits for Real Estate Developers, Investors, Businesses, and Local Government On September 18, 3:00-4:00 Eastern, Dr. Kramer will lead a second webinar on Smart Growth and Economic Success to explore how smart growth strategies at the regional, city, and neighborhood level can maximize economic advantages while creating attractive, healthy communities that help protect the environment. Dr. Kramer will discuss the report, Smart Growth and Economic Success: Benefits for Real Estate Developers, Investors, Businesses, and Local Government, and speakers from Lehigh Valley, PA, Champaign, IL, and Phoenix, AZ will discuss how smart growth is helping their communities prosper.
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No pre-registration is required. Click on https://epa.connectsolutions.com/epasmartgrowth. Log in as a guest. Please test your computer before attending the meeting at http://admin.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

The Connection Test checks your computer to make sure all system requirements are met. If you pass the first three steps of the test, then you are ready to participate in a meeting. If you do not pass the test, perform the suggested actions and run the test again. Please allow adequate time to access the site. If there are a large number of participants, it may take more time for the program to respond. There is no conference call. Participants will hear the webinar through their computer speakers. Please check to be sure your speakers are turned on.

*EPA Environmental Justice Community Outreach Call - September 19, 3:30 p.m. (ET)* The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Justice invites environmental justice advocates to participate on our next Environmental Justice Community Outreach Call, which will take place on September 19, 2013 at 3:30 p.m. ET. The purpose of these calls is to provide information to participants about the Agency's EJ activities and maintain an open dialogue with EJ advocates. As EPA continues to advance Plan EJ 2014, the Agency hopes that these calls will better inform the public about EPA's EJ work and enhance opportunities to take advantage of federal activities. Listen to, or read about, previous calls at http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/events/ej-outreach-calls.html. We are taking suggestions on agenda topics for the upcoming call. After receiving your suggestions, we will select the topic(s) that are of general concern to communities. Please keep in mind that the call will only last one hour, so the number of topics discussed will be limited. Submit a topic at http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/events/ej-outreach-calls.html. For more information about Plan EJ 2014: http://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/plan-ej/index.html. *Climate Change Adaptation for States, Tribes and Local Governments Webinar Recording* Climate Change Adaptation for States, Tribes and Local Governments: A dynamic, interactive webinar series hosted by North Carolina State University, in cooperation with US EPAs Office of Policy was held June 4-12. If you missed the Web Conference you can see it recorded on line at: http://www.climate-adaptation-workshop.org/index.html.

Green Schools
*EPA's Children's Health Office Environmental Technical Training* Below is a collection of training for Healthy Homes and Healthy Schools, and Child Care Facilities. National Healthy Homes Training: http://www.nchh.org/Training/National-Healthy-Homes-Training-Center.aspx. Healthy Child Care Information for Child Care Providers http://www2.epa.gov/childcare/healthy-child-care-information-child-care-providers. Healthy School Webinars: http://www.epa.gov/schools/webinars.html. Please note, recordings from previous webinars are located on a few of these sites, too. EPA Childcare website: http://www2.epa.gov/childcare. For more information, contact the EPA Regional Childrens Health Coordinators: http://www2.epa.gov/childcare/key-epa-contacts.

*Toolbox for Education Grant Program, Sponsored by The Lowes Charitable and Educational Foundation* The Lowes Foundation is accepting applications for its Toolbox for Education Grant Program. The purpose of this program is t o support school improvement projects at K-12 public schools in the United States. For the 2013-14 school year, the foundation will give priority to basic necessities, with a preference for funding requests that have a permanent impact, such as facility enhancement (both indoor and outdoor) as well as landscaping/cleanup projects. Projects that encourage parent involvement and help build stronger community spirit are encouraged. Grants ranging between $2,000 and $5,000 will be awarded to select applicants. Any public K-12 school or nonprofit parent group associated with a public K-12 school is eligible to apply. Deadline is October 15, 2013. Please contact the Lowes Charitable and Educational Foundation for more information and to apply for this funding: http://www.toolboxforeducation.com/index.html. *October 9: Walk to School Day* Find information and tips about planning a Walk to School Day or Bike to School Day event, including getting buy-in from community members and promoting the event to potential participants, volunteers, merchants and others whod be interested to learn more at: http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/. *Secretary Vilsack Highlights USDA Efforts to Promote a Healthy and Productive Learning Environment as Students Head Back to School* As students across the country prepare to start a new school year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is highlighting a number of Department efforts to promote a healthy and productive learning environment. As part of USDA efforts to promote healthy eating, the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion has launched the MyPlate Kids Place, designed for children ages 8 to 12, which can also help parents and educators make better and healthier food choices. It includes games, activity sheets, recipes and tips, in addition to links to the ChooseMyPlate.gov website. USDA is also continuing its effort to promote healthy improvements to school meals through implementation of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. For more information, please visit: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/86dcbe. *Lead poisoning's impact: Kids suspended more at school* The University of Wisconsin-Madison published a study on school suspension rates of 4th grade students in the Milwaukee Public School system. The researchers found that lead-exposed children were nearly 3 times more likely to be suspended from school compared to their little or non-exposed peers. First author, Mike Amato, in an interview on Wisconsin Public Radio on Wednesday's Central Time program yesterday (listen at: http://cirrus.mail-list.com/leadnet/30160495.html), said This important research shows that lead poisoning is more than a public health problem, its an education problem and reinforces the need to prevent children from being exposed to lead. For more information, please visit: http://cirrus.mail-list.com/leadnet/75806784.html. Healthy Schools: Environmental Factors, Childrens Health and Performance, and Sustainable Building Practices - EPA Deadline: October 8, 2013 The EPA, as part of its Science to Achieve Results program, is seeking applications proposing research that will inform school (K-12 educational facilities) building design, construction and operation practices in order to foster safe and healthy school environments and maximize student achievement and teacher and staff effectiveness. Specifically, the goal is to understand the relationship between environmental factors defined broadly and the health, safety and performance of students, teachers and staff. For more information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2013/2013_star_healthy_schools.html. EPA New Sensible Steps Webinar Series

September 25 3:00 p.m. Eastern - Cleaning and Maintenance, Sensible Steps for Creating Healthier School Environments October 22 3:00 p.m. Eastern - Sensible Steps for Energy Efficiency and Waste Reduction in Schools November 19 3:00 p.m. Eastern - Sensible Steps for Mold and Moisture Control In Schools December 17 3:00 p.m. Eastern - Renovate Right: EPAs Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Program at Schools Participants will receive a certificate of completion for each webinar. November 6-7: Green California Schools Summit, Pasadena, California The Green California Schools Summit was established to provide a meeting place for stakeholders in the greening of California's schools from facility managers, finance officers, teachers and administrators to architects, engineers and curriculum developers. As one of the nation's largest annual green school events, the Summit provides a unique opportunity to share innovations in policy, technology and practice. California has long been on the leading edge of the green schools movement; it was here that the nations first green building rating program for K-12 schools was created. Visit the conference website for more details: http://www.green-technology.org/gcschools/.

Other Community-Related Information & Events

*EPA Presentation Building a Common Understanding: Clean Air Act and Upcoming Carbon Pollution Guidelines for Existing Power Plants* This presentation by EPA staff will provide the public with an overview of Clean Air Act provisions for regulating carbon pollution from existing power plants. The presentation and a link to it on EPAs YouTube Channel will be posted at http://epa.gov/airquality/cps/webinar.html by August 28, 2013. On June 25, 2013, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to work expeditiously to complete carbon pollution standards for the power sector. The agency is using its authority under section 111 of the Clean Air Act to issue standards, regulations or guidelines, as appropriate that address carbon pollution from existing power plants, including modifications of those plants. EPA will offer four follow-up conference calls about the overview presentation in early September. Calls for state, local and tribal agencies and for the public (including community groups) will be on September 9. Calls for industrial and environmental stakeholders will be on September 12. In the future, information regarding carbon pollution standards and related activities, presentations and announcements can be most easily accessed by following EPA Region 7 on Twitter. You can sign up to follow EPA Region 7 on Twitter at https://twitter.com/EPAregion7 or through your Twitter account: @EPAregion7. *EPAs Second Annual Campus RainWorks Challenge* EPA has released the contest rules for its second annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a prize contest launched in 2012 to encourage innovative approaches to stormwater management. The Challenge engages the next generation of urban planners, designers, and engineers in the development of innovative green infrastructure systems to meet our nations growing water infrastructure needs. Student teams, working with a faculty advisor, will submit design briefs and a video describing a proposed green infrastructure project for their campus. This year, EPA is pleased to invite teams to compete in two categories: a Master Plan category and a Site Design category. Registration for the Challenge opens September 9, and entries must be submitted by December 13, 2013, for consideration. Winning teams will earn a cash prize of $1,000 - $2,000. For more information, please visit: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninffrastructure/crw_challenge.cfm.

*EPA Kicks Off Fourth-Annual Energy Star National Building Competition with More Than 3,000 Buildings* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently launched the 2013 Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from more than 3,000 buildings across the country are competing to see who can most reduce their buildings energy use. In support of President Obamas Climate Action Plan, which calls for buildings to cut waste and become at least 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020, the competition specifically targets wasted energy in commercial buildings and motivates businesses to improve energy efficiency, reduce harmful carbon pollution, and save money. EPAs Energy Star program helps people across America make the best choices to save energy, save money, and fight climate change at home, at work, in their businesses, and in their communities. Only products, homes, and buildings that meet strict standards of energy efficiency and performance can earn the Energy Star label. In 2012 alone, Americans saved $24 billion on their utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those of 50 million vehicles with the help of Energy Star. Learn more about Americas number one resource for energy efficiency: www.energystar.gov. More information on the competition: www.energystar.gov/BattleOfTheBuildings. *Energy Department Awards $22 Million for New Biofuels Projects* The Energy Department on August 1 announced more than $22 million in new investments to help develop cost-competitive algae fuels and streamline the biomass feedstock supply chain for advanced biofuels. A new project led by Columbus, Ohio-based FDC Enterprises will receive $6 million to reduce harvesting, handling, and preprocessing costs across the entire biomass feedstock supply chain. The FDC Enterprises project will work with independent growers and biofuels companies in Iowa, Kansas, Virginia, and Tennessee to develop new field equipment, biorefinery conveyor designs, and improved preprocessing technologies. See the Energy Department press release: http://energy.gov/articles/secretary-moniz-announces-new-biofuels-projects-drive-cost-reductions-technological. *EPA National Stormwater Calculator* EPA Announced the release of the National Stormwater Calculator, a tool developed to help users determine how to best reduce stormwater runoff from their property by implementing green infrastructure such as rain barrels, rain gardens, and porous pavement. Each year billions of gallons of raw sewage, trash, household chemicals, and urban runoff flow into our streams, rivers and lakes. Green infrastructure is an affordable solution to promote healthy waters and support sustainable communities. Watch a video about the Stormwater Calculator here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibZTm4_ZQxg&feature=youtu.be. *EPA Announces $400,000 in Grants through "Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns"* EPA has awarded seven grants totaling $400,000 to municipalities and nonprofit organizations in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania to fund green infrastructure projects that improve water quality, community livability, and economic vitality. The Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns grant program supports President Obama's Executive Order for Protecting and Restoring the Chesapeake Bay. For more information, please visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/3881d73f4d4aaa0b85257359003f5348/e97dd99237aca00485257bb200651487. For more information on renewable fuels, visit: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/index.htm. *U.S. Wind Energy Production, and Manufacturing Reaches Record Highs* The Energy Department released two new reports on August 6 showcasing record growth across the U.S. wind market. In 2012, wind energy became the number one source of new U.S. electricity generation capacity for the first timerepresenting 43% of all new electric additions and accounting for $25 billion in U.S. investment. According to these reports, the United States continues to be one of the worlds largest and fastest growing wind markets. The Energy Department and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory released the 2012 Wind Technologies Market Reportdetailing the latest trends in the U.S. wind power market. Last year, more than 13 gigawatts (GW) of new wind power capacity were added to the U.S. grid, nearly double the wind capacity deployed in 2011. This tremendous growth helped Americas total wind power

capacity surpass 60 GW at the end of 2012. That represents enough capacity to power more than 15 million homes each year. At the state level, Iowa, Massachusetts, California and Wisconsin led the nation in new distributed wind power capacity in 2012. See the Energy Department press release: http://energy.gov/articles/energy-dept-reports-us-wind-energy-production-and-manufacturing-reaches-record-highs. *2012 Warmest on Record for United States: Report* 2012 was the warmest on record for the United States, and among the 10 warmest years on record worldwide, according to the 2012 State of the Climate report released August 6 by the American Meteorological Society. The peer-reviewed report, with scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) serving as lead editors, was compiled by 384 scientists from 52 countries. It provides a detailed update on global climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments on land, sea, ice, and sky. For more information, please visit: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/20130806_stateoftheclimate.html. *EPA Finalizes 2013 Renewable Fuel Standards to Help Promote American Energy Independence, Reduce Carbon Pollution* As part of an ongoing effort to enhance energy security and reduce carbon pollution, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized the 2013 percentage standards for four fuel categories that are part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program established by Congress. Most of these fuels are produced by American farmers and growers domestically and help reduce the carbon pollution that contributes to climate change. The final 2013 overall volumes and standards require 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be blended into the U.S. fuel supply (a 9.74 percent blend). For more information on the standards and regulations, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/regulations.htm. *Energy Department Invests in Heating, Cooling, and Lighting* The Energy Department on August 14 announced 12 projects to develop innovative heating, cooling, and insulation technologies as well as open-source energy efficiency software to help homes and commercial buildings save energy and money. These projects will receive approximately $9 million from the Energy Department along with about $1 million in matching private sector funding. The Energy Department will invest about $6 million for nine projects that will develop new energy efficient building technologies, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and building insulation. The projects will also help curb emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases primarily used in refrigeration and air conditioning. See the complete project list .The Energy Department also announced about $3 million to three projectsled by the University of California, Virginia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon Universityto develop open source software that helps building owners and operators measure, monitor, and adjust lighting, HVAC, and water heating energy use to save energy without compromising performance. For more information, see the Energy Department press release: http://energy.gov/articles/energydepartment-invests-save-heating-cooling-and-lighting?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery. *Explore Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation by Region or Sector on EPA's Climate Change Website* The changing climate impacts society and ecosystems in a broad variety of ways. For example, climate change can increase or decrease rainfall, influence agricultural crop yields, affect human health, cause changes to forests and other ecosystems, or even impact the nation's energy supply. Climate-related impacts are occurring across regions of the country and across many sectors of the U.S. economy. EPA's Climate Change website provides relevant resources to those interested in learning more about expected climate change impacts and adaptation options. More specifically, the website lists impacts from climate change and adaptation efforts by region or sector, and provides resources to help public officials and others with climate change adaptation planning. For more information, please visit: http://epa.gov/climatechange/impacts-adaptation/index.html. *New Pesticide Labels Will Better Protect Bees and Other Pollinators*

In an ongoing effort to protect bees and other pollinators, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed new pesticide labels that prohibit use of some neonicotinoid pesticide products where bees are present. The new labels will have a bee advisory box and icon with information on routes of exposure and spray drift precautions. The EPA will work with pesticide manufacturers to change labels so that they will meet the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) safety standard. The agency continues to work with beekeepers, growers, pesticide applicators, pesticide and seed companies, and federal and state agencies to reduce pesticide drift dust and advance best management practices. The EPA recently released new enforcement guidance to federal, state and tribal enforcement officials to enhance investigations of beekill incidents. More on the EPAs label changes and pollinat or protection efforts: http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.html.View the infographic on EPAs new bee advisory box: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ecosystem/pollinator/bee-label-info-graphic.pdf. *New State Fact Sheets on Household Energy Use* The U.S. Energy Information Administrations Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) gathers information through persona l interviews with a nationwide sample of homes and energy suppliers. The 2009 survey was the largest RECS to date and the larger sample size allowed for the release of data for 16 individual states, in addition to national, regional, and division-level estimates. See state fact sheets for Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin at: http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/reports/2009/state_briefs/. *A Handbook for Local Governments on Adapting to Climate Change* The Coastal Hazards Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has developed a handbook to help local governments in North Carolina adapt to climate change. The handbook demonstrates the need for local action and explains the options that are open to local governments. You can download the complete handbook here: http://coastalhazardscenter.org/adapt. EPA Announces $15 Million in Supplemental Funds to Clean up and Redevelop Contaminated Brownfield Sites Across the Country The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced approximately $15 million in supplemental funding to help clean up contaminated brownfield properties. The Revolving Loan Funding (RLF) will help 41 communities carry out cleanup and redevelopment projects. These projects will help communities create jobs while protecting peoples health and the environment. These funds granted to communities who have already achieved success in their work to clean up and redevelop brownfields will help boost local economies, create local jobs, and protect people from harmful pollution by expediting Brownfield projects, said Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator for EPAs Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. There are an estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated sites in the United States. EPAs Brownfields Program targets these sites to encourage redevelopment, and helps to provide the opportunity for productive community use of contaminated properties. EPAs Brownfields investments overall have leveraged more than $20 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funding from public and private sources and on average, $17.79 is leveraged for every EPA Brownfields grant dollar spent. For more information on EPAs Brownfields Program, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/. For more information on Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund grants, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/rlflst.htm. Department of Transportation Unveils New Tools to Help Communities Keep Pedestrians Safe U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced a new set of tools to help communities combat the rising number of pedestrian deaths that have occurred over the last two years. As part of the campaign, the Departments National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is making $2 million in pedestrian safety grants available to cities with the highest rate of pedestrian deaths, and along with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is launching a one-stop shop website with safety tips and resources for local leaders, city planners, parents and others involved in improving pedestrian safety. States have until Aug. 30 to apply for a total of $2 million that can be used for education and enforcement initiatives in 22 focus cities where pedestrian deaths are greater than the national average. The new website pulls

pedestrian safety information from both NHTSA and FHWA, and provides safety tips and resources that communities can use to keep pedestrians safe. These resources include information for parents on teaching children about safe walking, reports on effective pedestrian projects for state highway safety offices, and guides for community pedestrian safety advocates. For more information, check out NHTSA's new website with pedestrian safety resources www.nhtsa.gov/everyoneisapedestrian. EPA Screens More Than 66,000 Contaminated Sites for Renewable Energy Potential The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently updated its RE-Powering Mapping and Screening Tool, which will now provide preliminary screening results for renewable energy potential at 66,000, up from 24,000, contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites across the country. The RE-Powering Americas Land Initiative, started by EPA in 2008 encourages development of renewable energy on potentially contaminated land, landfills and mine sites when it is aligned with the communitys vision for the site. In 2013, RE-Powering Americas Land Initiative was recognized as one of the Top 25 Innovations in American Government by Harvard University. This award program is one of the nations most prestigious and highlights exemplary models of government innovation and efforts to address the nations most pressing public concerns. More information on the RE-Powering Mapper: http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland/rd_mapping_tool.htm. More information on the RE-Powering Americas Land Initiative: http://www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland EPA Awards $2 Million to Small Businesses for Sustainable Technology Development The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the awarding of more than $2 million in contracts to seven small businesses to develop sustainable technologies that will help protect human health and the environment. EPAs Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program funded 25 research proposals from small businesses for six months through last years Phase I contracts of $80,000. The agencys Phase I funding allowed each of the companies to investigate its proposed projects feasibility and pot ential applications. Following a competitive peer-review process, seven Phase I recipients are now being awarded Phase II contracts for up to $300,000, supporting further development and commercialization of their technology. For more information on the SBIR Phase II recipients, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/2013sbirph2. For more information on EPAs SBIR program criteria, please visit: http://epa.gov/ncer/sbir/. For more information on the SBIR Phase I RFA, open until August 13, 2013, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/sbir14ph1. Energy Department Secretary Moniz Announces New Biofuels Projects to Drive Cost Reductions, Technological Breakthroughs During remarks at the Energy Department's Biomass 2013 annual conference, Secretary Moniz today highlighted the important role biofuels play in the administration's Climate Action Plan to increase our energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. For more information, please visit: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=910. Energy Department Announces New Investment to Reduce Fuel Cell Costs In support of the Obama Administration's all-of-the-above strategy to develop clean, domestic energy sources, the Energy Department today announced a $4.5 million investment in two projectsled by Minnesota-based 3M and the Colorado School of Minesto lower the cost, improve the durability, and increase the efficiency of next-generation fuel cell systems. For more information, please visit: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=908. Urban Transportation Systems Improve Energy Efficiency: International Energy Agency Report Policies that improve the energy efficiency of urban transport systems could help save as much as $70 trillion in spending on vehicles, fuel, and transportation infrastructure between now and 2050, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). Released on July 10, the report, A Tale of Renewed Cities, draws on examples from more than 30 cities across the globe to show how to improve transport efficiency through better urban planning and travel demand management. Extra benefits include lower greenhouse-gas emissions and higher quality of life. The report offers three case studies to show how those cities have already improved their transport systems. For example, New

York City shaved 11 minutes off travel times within a year of introducing express bus services, while at the same time attracting more passengers. Among the three broad categories of policies recommended in the report are those that allow travel to be avoided, those that shift travel to more efficient modes, and those that improve the efficiency of vehicle and fuel technologies. The report notes that if fully implemented across the global transportation sector, the "avoid, shift and improve approach could save up to $70 trillion in terms of lo wer spending on fuel, roadway infrastructure, and vehicles. See the IEA press release and the report website: http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/name,39940,en.html. Energy Department Invests to Save Small Buildings Money by Saving Energy Building on President Obama's Climate Action Plan, which calls for steady, responsible steps to reduce carbon pollution and reduce energy bills for U.S. businesses, the Energy Department today announced an award of $10 million for six projects to help small commercial buildings save money by saving energy. For more information, please visit: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=904. EPA Updates Green Power Partnership Rankings The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership has released its quarterly rankings of green power users. Members of the Green Power Partnership commit to increasing their use of renewable energy through renewable energy certificates (RECs), on-site generation, or utility green power products. In the new National Top 50 rankings, Intel, Microsoft, and Kohl's continue to hold to the top three positions while the City of Houston got a bump into a top ten position of 8th for its green power purchase of 622,887 megawatt-hours (MWh). New members of the National Top 50 include Unilever (13th), JPMorgan Chase (26th), and EMC Corporation (32nd). Forest County Potawatomi Community (10th) of Crandon, WI, moved into the top 10 of Local Government Partners with a purchase of 55,035 MWh, while new members of the local government list include Western Pennsylvania Energy Consortium (12th), Los Angeles World Airports (16th), and the City of Boston (17th). Additional rankings such as the Top 20 Colleges and Universities, Top 20 On-site Generation, and Top 20 Retail can viewed on the EPA Green Power Partnership website. For more information, please visit: http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/news/news_template.shtml?id=1854. Free Asthma Continuing Education Workshop in Kansas City -September 18, 2013: The Asthma Management and Education Program This program recognizes the critical role allied health professionals play in educating and caring for patients with asthma and allergies. Attendees will learn the latest techniques in asthma care and receive current and reliable patient education information and materials. Program participants will also learn proper techniques for using various medication devices and peak flow meters. For more information, please visit: http://aafaprograms.hbp.com/. Water Sustainability and ClimateNational Science Foundation Solicitation One of the most urgent challenges facing the world today is ensuring an adequate supply and quality of water. This solicitation from the National Science Foundation seeks proposals to determine how our built water systems and our governance systems can be made more reliable, resilient, and sustainable to meet diverse needs. The application deadline is September 10, 2013. For more information, please visit: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2013/nsf13535/nsf13535.htm. Community Solar Garden Constructed in Rockford, MN Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association has partnered with Clean Energy Collective to construct a community solar garden in Rockford, MN. Construction of the 32-kilowatt (kW) array was completed on July 17, 2013. Residents invested in the project by purchasing a solar panel for $869.17, and as the panels generate electricity, customers receive a credit on their electric bill. The project is sold out with 17 customers enrolled in the program, purchasing between 1 and 36 panels each, and was so successful that Wright-Hennepin is planning a

second garden which will begin construction this fall. Community solar gardens enable residents to invest in solar while overcoming barriers of home installation such as roof orientation, renter's policies, and utility agreements. For more information, please visit: http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/news/news_template.shtml?id=1853. Habitat for Humanity Constructing Net-Zero Community The Habitat for Humanity chapter of St. Croix, WI, is constructing an 18-home net-zero community called Eco Village. The project broke ground last summer and now has four completed homes ready for occupancy. The homes will each have a 6.5-kW roof-mounted solar array and a solar hot water system. An additional 75-kW solar array will be installed in the area for community purposes, such as lighting and powering an electric vehicle charging station. The project is expected to receive a LEED for Homes Platinum designation and create less expensive housing for low income families. For more information, please visit: http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/news/news_template.shtml?id=1850. Police Connect the Dots Between Sustainability and Public Safety MADISON, Wis. -- When asked to explain the connection between social sustainability and public safety, Madison Police Chief Nobel Wray was stumped. The unusual connection took him back to one of his first assignments, in what was at the time the most dangerous neighborhood in Wisconsin's capital city. In 1987, Wray was assigned to the Simpson-Broadway neighborhood, an area with the city's highest percentage of children ages 12 to 21, and about as many homicides as in the rest of Madison's neighborhoods combined. Wray was stationed there with the task of reducing the crime rate in the neighborhood. "My responsibility was to go out there and change things. They assigned me as one individual officer to be a catalyst for change," Chief Wray explained at a quarterly Sustainable Business Network breakfast meeting hosted last week by Sustain Dane, a regional sustainability organization based in Dane County, Wis. For more information, please visit: http://www.sustainablecitynetwork.com/topic_channels/policy/article_59ee246c-fa0c-11e2-92ae001a4bcf6878.html?utm_source=SCN+InBox+e-Newsletter&utm_campaign=403ca9e575-Newsletter_7-312013_Admin&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_11e7ac761c-403ca9e575-188541149. Energy Department Releases Updated eGallon Prices The Energy Department on July 19 highlighted the continued growth of electric vehicle salesdoubling in the first six months of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012as it released its most recent pricing data showing the low cost of fueling on electricity. The national eGallon, a way for consumers to compare the costs of fueling electric vehicles versus driving on gasoline, rose slightly to $1.18 from $1.14 in the latest monthly numbers, but remains far below the $3.49 national average retail cost of a gallon of gasoline. Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales tripled from about 17,000 in 2011 to about 52,000 in 2012. During the first six months of 2013, Americans bought over 40,000 PEVs, more than twice as many sold during the same period in 2012. The latest numbers also show how the early years of the PEV market have seen much faster growth than the early years of the hybrid vehicle market. Thirty months after the first hybrid was introduced, monthly sales figures were under 3,000. By comparison, sales of PEVs, first introduced in December 2010, have soared to nearly 9,000 in the last month. At the same time, thanks to technology improvements and growing domestic manufacturing capacity, the cost of a battery has fallen by nearly 50% in the last four years, and is expected to drop to $10,000 by 2015. See the Energy Department press release: http://energy.gov/articles/energy-department-releases-updated-egallon-prices-electric-vehicle-sales-double. Updated RE-Powering Mapper Tool EPA's RE-Powering America's Land Initiative has just released an updated RE-Powering Mapper tool, providing preliminary screening results for renewable energy potential at contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites tracked by the EPA and select state agencies. Pulling from EPA databases of potentially and formerly contaminated lands, as well as partnering with state agencies from California, Hawaii, Oregon, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, and Virginia, the RE-Powering Initiative expanded the universe of sites from 24,000 to

more than 66,000 sites today. Working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laborat ory (NREL), RE-Powering developed screening criteria for solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal potential at various levels of development. To date, over 70 renewable energy projects have been installed on contaminated lands nationwide. For more information on completed projects, check out our latest release of the RE-Powering Project Tracking Matrix. Please contact a member of the EPA's RE-Powering Rapid Response team if you have any follow-up questions or would like to learn more about the RE-Powering initiative. Comments should be submitted to cleanenergy@epa.gov. Energy Department Invests to Save Energy in Small Buildings The Energy Department on July 17 announced an award of $10 millionmatched by at least $14 million in private sector fundingfor six projects to help operators of small commercial buildings save money by saving energy. These buildings are less than 50,000 square feet in size and include schools, churches, strip malls, restaurants, and grocery stores. The six projects are aimed at developing user-friendly tools and resources that can be easily deployed at any small building. In the United States, the commercial building sector, of which more than 90% are small buildings, consumes about 20% of all U.S. energy. According to studies by NREL and the Departments Pacific Northwe st National Laboratory, small buildings have tremendous potential to save energy and improve their bottom lines. See the Energy Department's press release: http://energy.gov/articles/energy-department-invests-save-small-buildings-money-saving-energy. EPA Debuts Upgraded Energy Star Portfolio Manager Benchmarking Tool The EPA on July 18 announced the release of an upgrade to its online energy management and tracking tool, the Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The upgraded tool can help businesses achieve President Obamas call to make commercial buildings at least 20% more energy efficient by 2020. The new Energy Star Portfolio Manager delivers a more user-friendly interface, enhanced data sharing capabilities, better reporting, and for the first time, the ability to manage buildings across their lifecycle, from design through occupancy. Tens of thousands of organizationsincluding school districts, retail chains, hospital systems, and local governmentscurrently use Energy Star Portfolio Manager to measure the energy performance, water use, utility costs, and greenhouse gas emissions of more than 40 percent of the nations commercial building space. The tool will continue to deliver the nearly 150 energy, greenhouse gas (GHG), and water performance metrics that owners and managers of commercial buildings use to make strategic management decisions. One of these metrics, the 1100 Energy Star score, rates a buildings energy efficiency against similar buildings nationwide. Energy Star-certified buildings use, on average, 35% less energy and generate 35% fewer GHG emissions than typical buildings. Studies have shown that they have lower operating costs, increased asset value, and higher occupancy rates. See the EPA press release and the Energy Star website: http://www.energystar.gov/. Agriculture Secretary Announces Funding for Projects to Strengthen the Rural Electric Grid's Efficiency and Reliability Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced funding for rural electric projects in seven states to provide reliable, affordable electricity for rural residents. USDA remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. This announcement is one part of the Department's efforts to strengthen the rural economy. "Funding for rural electric utilities is a cornerstone of the Obama Administration's continuing effort to develop a vibrant rural economy," Vilsack said. For more information, please visit: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/83cc99. Try Out EPAs Updated Co-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) Model EPA has made several updates to the Co-Benefits Risk Assessment (COBRA) screening model, a free tool that helps state and local governments estimate and map the air quality, human health and related economic benefits of clean energy policies and programs.State and local governments can use COBRA to: Better understand the potential for clean energy to enhance air quality, health, and social well being.

Design or select program options that maximize benefits. Build support for clean energy investments based on the air and health benefits. Narrow a list of policy options to those that should be evaluated using more sophisticated air quality models. Present information about localized health benefits in easytointerpret tables and maps. Support a balanced decision-making process that considers both the potential costs and benefits of policy options. Download or request a copy of the revised version, with details about the current updates, from EPAs COBRA web page. Newest EJ Blog: Breathing Life Into a Dead Space Read the newest contribution to the Environmental Justice in Action Blog written by Aissia Richardson, the president of the African American United Fund. In her article, she discusses the immense success a community in Philadelphia has had by reclaiming a dangerous and polluted vacant lot. They restored it into a community garden, which is utilized by neighbors for distributing produce locally, as a public meeting space, and even a site used as a job skills training program for adjudicated and formerly convicted youth. Blog Link: http://blog.epa.gov/ej/2013/07/breathing-life-into-a-dead-space/. EPA Selects Eight Universities to Help Improve Public Health Data and Research The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced its selection of academic partners for the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) University Challenge, a project designed to find innovative ways to increase public awareness of toxic chemical releases in their communities and around the country. TRI provides communities with information about toxic chemical releases to the air, water, and land and helps industry, government, non-governmental organizations, and the public make more informed decisions to protect their health and environment. Through these partnerships, EPA will work with eight diverse academic institutions to develop practical and replicable projects focused on pollution prevention, sustainability, community engagement, and technology for improving the presentation and understanding of TRI data. The selected projects were proposed by faculty and students from Drew University, Huston-Tillotson University, Indiana UniversityBloomington, SUNY Plattsburg, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Washington-Bothell, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, and Washington University in St. Louis. While there is no financial award for this Challenge, academic partners will receive support from TRI Program staff and national recognition by being featured on the TRI website. In addition, partners will be encouraged to pursue opportunities to speak at relevant conferences and events. For more information on the TRI University Challenge, please visit: www.epa.gov/tri/university. For more information about TRI, please visit: www.epa.gov/tri. Forest Service Study Finds Urban Trees Removing Fine Particulate Air Pollution, Saving Lives In the first effort to estimate the overall impact of a citys urban forest on concentrations of fine particulate pollution (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns, or PM2.5), a U.S. Forest Service and Davey Institute study found that urban trees and forests are saving an average of one life every year per city. In New York City, trees save an average of eight lives every year. Fine particulate air pollution has serious health effects, including premature mortality, pulmonary inflammation, accelerated atherosclerosis, and altered cardiac functions. In a study recently published on-line by the journal Environmental Pollution, researchers David Nowak and Robert Hoehn of the U.S. Forest Service and Satoshi Hirabayashi and Allison Bodine of the Davey Institute in Syracuse, N.Y., estimated how much fine particulate matter is removed by trees in 10 cities, their impact on PM2.5 concentrations and associated values and impacts on human health. The study, Modeled PM2.5 Removal by Trees in Ten U.S. Cities and Associated Health Effects, is available at: http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/43676. Dig, Eat, and Be Healthy A Guide to Growing Food on Public Property By ChangeLabSolutions Although thriving gardens and farms have been established on public lands throughout the country, many communities have yet to make the most of the significant resource that such lands represent. For example, one study in Oakland, Calif., found that the city could grow 5 percent

of its recommended vegetable needs using only half of its vacant and underutilized public land thats 4,650 tons of produce! And urban agriculture produces more benefits than just fresh, healthy food. It can also promote civic participation, public safety, food literacy, job skills, and urban greening in short, healthier, more vibrant places. View the guide at: http://changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Dig_Eat_and_Be_Happy_FINAL_20130610_0.pdf. October 26, 2013 Next National Drug Take-Back Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. Please check back on October 1, 2013 to locate collection sites near you. For more information, please visit: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/. USDA and Interior Announce Partnership to Protect America's Water Supply from Increased Wildfire Risk U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell today announced a federal, local and private partnership that will reduce the risks of wildfire to America's water supply in western states. The Western Watershed Enhancement Partnership is part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, which outlines a comprehensive approach to reduce carbon pollution and better prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change, including increased risk of wildfires and drought. For more information, please visit: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/841bd1. U.S. Forest Service Reports Visitors, Local Communities Receive Health, Economic Benefits from Visiting National Forests and Grasslands Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released findings of a visitor survey that shows U.S. Forest Service lands are great recreation destinations that provide health benefits to tourists and $11 billion in tourist spending to businesses and communities that serve the more than 160 million forest visitors. The U.S. Forest Service National Visitor Use Monitoring Survey provides a glimpse into how people share the national forests and grasslands, as well as the value of that use beyond the agency's 193 million acres. The survey helps Forest Service land managers more clearly understand why people visit, what they do during their visits and their overall satisfaction with their recreation experience on a forest. For more information, please visit: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2013/07/0148.xml. USDA Announces Results for 45th Conservation Reserve Program General Sign-Up Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will accept 1.7 million acres offered under the 45th Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up. The Department received nearly 28,000 offers on more than 1.9 million acres of land, demonstrating CRP's continuing appeal as one of our nation's most successful voluntary programs for soil, water, and wildlife conservation. Under Vilsack's leadership, USDA has enrolled nearly 12 million acres in new CRP contracts since 2009. Currently, there are more than 26.9 million acres enrolled on 700,000 contracts. This year, farmers and ranchers have already offered more than 370,000 acres under Continuous CRP signup, a figure that is impressive given that the lack of a Farm Bill extension last fall meant that CRP enrollment only reopened this spring in May. Lack of a comprehensive Farm Bill this year has resulted in uncertainty for achieving further enrollment objectives under continuous CRP. For more information, please visit: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/84669c. Help Map Environmental Justice Conflicts in the United States Read a recent contribution to the Environmental Justice in Action Blog written by student researchers working on the Environmental Justice Organizations, Liability and Trade (EJOLT), which is an international Environmental Justice Mapping Project. They are attempting to document the 40 most important environmental justice case studies in the U.S., and need your feedback to narrow down their list. What do you think should be included in the 40 most important environmental justice case studies? Take a survey to help the researchers!

Blog Link: http://blog.epa.gov/ej/2013/08/help-us-map-environmental-justice-conflicts-in-the-united-states/. EPA Software Helps Reduce Water Pollution as Part of Presidents Climate Action Plan As part of President Obamas Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released the National Stormwater Calculator, an innovative addition to the administrations virtual climate resilience toolkit. EPAs new calculator will help property owners, developers, landscapers, and urban planners make informed land-use decisions to protect local waterways from pollution caused by stormwater runoff. Preventing stormwater runoff, which can impact drinking water resources and local ecosystems, protects peoples health and the environment.The calculator, which is phase I of the Stormwater Calculator and Climate Assessment Tool package announced in the Presidents Climate Action Plan in June, is a desktop application that estimates the annual amount of stormwater runoff from a specific site, based on local soil conditions, slope, land cover, and historical rainfall records. Users can enter any U.S. location and select different scenarios to learn how specific green infrastructure changes, including inexpensive changes like rain barrels and rain gardens, can prevent pollution. This information helps users determine how adding green infrastructure can be one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce stormwater runoff. Each year billions of gallons of raw sewage, trash, household chemicals, and urban runoff flow into our streams, rivers and lakes. Polluted stormwater runoff can adversely affect plants, animals, and people. It also adversely affects our economy from closed beaches to decreased fishing and hunting in polluted areas. Green infrastructure is an affordable solution to promote healthy waters and support sustainable communities. For more information about the National Stormwater Calculator, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wq/models/swc/. For more information about the virtual climate resilience toolkit, please visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/image/president27sclimateactionplan.pdf. For more information on EPAs Green Infrastructure research, please visit: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/index.cfm. Energy Department Reports U.S. Wind Energy Production and Manufacturing Reaches Record Highs The Energy Department released two new reports today showcasing record growth across the U.S. wind market, supporting an increase in Americas share of clean, renewable energy and tens of thousands of jobs nationwide. According to these reports, the United States continues to be one of the world's largest and fastest growing wind markets. In 2012, wind energy became the number one source of new U.S. electricity generation capacity for the first timerepresenting 43% of all new electric additions and accounting for $25 billion in U.S. investment. For more information, please visit: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=911.

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