GreeNetwork - March 2009
GreeNetwork is a free electronic newsletter sent every 4-6 weeks by Iowa Department
of Economic Development (IDED) Community Development Division staff to 3,000+ recipients.
Past issues are available at
www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/community/e-network.html.
Thanks for your interest in sustainable community practices and happenings. The
following information will assist you in promoting attitudes and practices in your
community that are socially, environmentally, and economically sound. Please send
GreeNetwork content suggestions to
jean.johnson@iowalifechanging.com. You are also encouraged to forward this
update to others and to reprint GreeNetwork material.
To sign up to receive GreeNetwork please visit
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Updates:
Stimulus
Bill Opportunities for Green Projects
IDED Establishes
New Community Development Block Grant Programs
Five Iowa
Communities Selected for Smart Growth Assistance
HUD and DOT
to Promote Sustainable Communities
Luther and
Wartburg Compete to Save Energy
Resources:
Smart Growth
Network
Foreclosure Response: Web Resources for States and Localities
Leadership
for Healthy Communities
Green Roofs
Tree of Knowledge
Viable Futures
Tool-Kit
Sustainable
Sites
Case for
Integrated Mobility
Local Government
Environmental Assistance Network
TravelGreen.org
Upcoming Workshops, Trainings and Events:
Iowa American Institute of Architects Conference
Green Cities
Conference
Sustainability
Conference: Building Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods
American
Planning Association Conference
Green Roof
Workshop
Local Climate
Leadership Summit
Rain Gardens
and Bioretention Cells
Funding and Assistance Opportunities:
Energy Efficiency
Grants and Loans - USDA
Public Art
Funding - Iowa Arts Council
Sustainable
Communities and Downtowns
Smart Growth
Implementation Assistance
Water Quality
Project Grants - Iowa DNR
Energy Provisions for Iowa in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009
Stimulus Bill Opportunities for Green Projects
Several good resources are available to find information on the various opportunities
provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 including:
State of Iowa - http://www.recovery.iowa.gov/index.html
Office of Energy Independence -
http://www.energy.iowa.gov/ARRA09/index.html
Iowa League of Cities-www.iowaleague.org/Downloads/Legislative/2009/StimulusFlowchart09.pdf
Council of State Governments -
http://www.staterecovery.org/federal-assistance
National Conference of State Legislatures -
www.ncsl.org/statefed/2009economicstimulus.htm
National Governors Association – www.nga.gov
IDED Establishes New Community Development Block Grant Programs
The Iowa Department of Economic Development has added two new eligible activity
areas for Community Development Block Grant funding – downtown revitalization
and sustainable community demonstration projects. Local governments and non-profit
organizations in communities with a population of less than 50,000 may be eligible
to apply. IDED will begin reviewing call for project pre-applications, April 2,
2009. See “Sustainable Communities Call for Projects” online at
http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/community/.
Five Iowa Communities Selected for Smart Growth Assistance
http://www.rio.iowa.gov/news/releases/2009/032409_smart_growth.html
Five Iowa communities affected by the tornadoes and floods of 2008 will receive
assistance in recovering stronger and smarter through the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s Smart Growth Implementation Assistance (SGIA) program.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), the Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) and the Iowa Department of Economic Development
(IDED) recently announced that New Hartford, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Coralville
and Iowa City have been chosen to receive expert technical assistance to help with
growth and redevelopment.
Under a federal contract that supports EPA’s Smart Growth assistance program,
each selected community will receive direct technical assistance from a team of
national experts organized by EPA and other partners to work on redevelopment plans
with local leaders. Team members will have expertise in disciplines relevant to
each community’s unique needs.
HUD and DOT to Promote Sustainable Communities
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr09-023.cfm
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) announced a new partnership to help American families gain
better access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation
costs. The average working American family spends nearly 60 percent of its budget
on housing and transportation costs, making these two areas the largest expenses
for American families. The federal agencies want to seek ways to cut these costs
by focusing their efforts on creating affordable, sustainable communities.
The HUD/DOT task force will set a goal to have every major metropolitan area in
the country conduct integrated housing, transportation, and land use planning and
investment in the next four years. To facilitate integrated planning, HUD and DOT
seek, through HUD's proposed Sustainable Communities Initiative which it will administer
in consultation with DOT, to make planning grants available to metropolitan areas,
and create mechanisms to ensure those plans are carried through to localities. DOT
will encourage Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to conduct this integrated
planning as a part of their next long-range transportation plan update and will
provide technical assistance on scenario planning, a tool for assessing future growth
alternatives that better coordinate land use, and transportation planning.
Luther and Wartburg Compete to Save Energy
http://info.wartburg.edu/theorange/tabid/234/itemid/509/Green-Challenge.aspx
In an effort to boost awareness and each campus’ sustainability efforts, the
Luther Norse and Wartburg Knights competed to see who can save the most energy in
the month of February. Results of the competition will be released soon. This approach
of using competition or a friendly rivalry to improve overall sustainability could
be a good model for similar efforts between communities, businesses, local school
districts, downtowns and others. At least 11 Iowa college and universities have
signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment,
http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/index.php.
Smart Growth Network
www.smartgrowth.org
The Smart Growth Network’s (SGN) weekly e-news and Web site are valuable resources
for all types of information related to development that serves the economy, community
and the environment. It is a forum for:
- Raising public awareness of how growth can improve community quality of life;
- Promoting smart growth best practices;
- Developing and sharing information, innovative policies, tools and ideas;
- Cultivating strategies to address barriers to and advance opportunities for smart
growth.
Foreclosure Response: Web Resources for States and Localities
http://www.foreclosure-response.org/
Foreclosure-Response.org is a website offering resources intended to help states
and localities respond to the foreclosure crisis. The site is maintained by the
Center for Housing Policy, KnowledgePlex, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
(LISC), and the Urban Institute.
The Policy Guide section of the website offers tools in six categories:
- Policy Guide: Understand Why Foreclosures Matter
- Develop a Coordinated Response Strategy
- Prevent Foreclosure, Keep Families in Their Homes
- Secure and Maintain Vacant Properties
- Bring Foreclosed Properties Back Into Use
- Help Owner and Renter Families Recover
Leadership for Healthy Communities
http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/
Based in Washington, D.C., Leadership for Healthy Communities is a $10-million
national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed to support local
and state government leaders nationwide in their efforts to reduce childhood obesity
through public policies that promote active living, healthy eating and access to
healthy foods. Leadership for Healthy Communities focuses, in particular, on policy
efforts that can improve nutrition and increase physical activity among children
at high risk for obesity, especially African-American, Latino, Native American,
Asian American and Pacific Islander children living in low-income communities.
Green Roofs Tree of Knowledge
http://greenroofs.org/grtok/
The Green Roofs Tree of Knowledge (TOK) is a full-featured database on research
and policy related to green roof infrastructure. This database is composed of detailed
summaries of research and policy papers in English from around the world.
The purpose of the database is to provide you with a single resource that aggregates
existing knowledge on the benefits of green roofs and the policy options available.
It is designed to equip green roof advocates with the arguments and evidence needed
to get decision-makers to move from talk to policy action on the ground. The Tree
of Knowledge also provides the user with an opportunity to share the results of
their research and policy development efforts.
Viable Futures Tool-Kit
http://www.viablefuturestoolkit.org/index.htm
The Sustainable Communities for All: Viable Futures Tool-Kit provides strategies
that move everyone in the same direction, toward a greater good — the creation
of sustainable communities for all ages. Issues addressed in the tool-kit and resources
provided include:
Sustainable Sites
http://www.sustainablesites.org/about/
The Sustainable Sites Initiative was created to promote sustainable land development
and management practices that can apply to sites with and without buildings including,
but not limited to the following:
- Open spaces such as local, state and national parks, conservation easements and
buffer zones and transportation rights-of-way.
- Sites with buildings including industrial, retail and office parks, military complexes,
airports, botanical gardens, streetscapes and plazas, residential and commercial
developments and public and private campuses.
The Sustainable Sites Initiative will provide tools for those who influence land
development and management practices and can address increasingly urgent global
concerns such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, and resource depletion.
Case for Integrated Mobility
http://www.oregonmetro.gov/files/about/08478_brc_final_report_pks_11-12.pdf
The Case for an Integrated Mobility Strategy is the final report from Portland,
Oregon's Blue Ribbon Committee for Trails. Appointed in April 2008 by Metro, the
area's elected regional government, the Committee was charged to take the work the
community has developed, evaluate where regional trails fit in the region's priorities
and recommend potential strategies for expanding the region's trail network.
Local Government Environmental Assistance Network
http://www.lgean.org/
The Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN) is a "first-stop
shop" providing environmental management, planning, funding, and regulatory
information for local government elected and appointed officials, managers and staff.
Located at http://www.lgean.org, LGEAN enables
local officials to interact with their peers and others online. Topics covered include,
air, waste, water, energy, environmental management, financing, transportation,
public safety, and regulatory compliance.
TravelGreen.org
http://www.travelgreen.org/
TravelGreen is the go-to source for information on sustainability efforts within
the travel community. From airlines to hotels to theme parks, America's travel community
is on the cutting edge of new green policies, practices and technologies. The site
documents the latest developments in sustainable travel and profiles case studies
from each sector of the industry.
Upcoming Workshops and Trainings:
More Green Events are available online at
http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/community/.
Green Home Demonstration Workshops
April – July – West Des Moines, IA
Ten 4 hour classroom and on-site training sessions covering the following topics:
- House as a System, Planning & Design, Passive Solar
- Foundations, Framing, Roofs & Attics
- Windows and Doors, Insulation
- Plumbing, Solar Hot Water
- Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning
- Solar Collectors, Active Solar Space Heating
- Indoor Air Quality, Interior Finishes
- Electrical, Photovoltaics
- Siding and Decking, Landscaping
Contact Emily Karsjens at Emily@icosc.com or
515-277-6222
Iowa American Institute of Architects Conference
April 15, 2009 – Des Moines, IA
http://www.aiaiowa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=14
Green Cities Conference
April 18-22, 2009 - Portland, OR
http://www.nlc.org/conferences___events/greencities/greencitieshome.aspx
Sustainability Conference: Building Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods
April 23, 2009 – Dubuque, IA
http://depts.loras.edu/sustainability/conference4-2009.html
American Planning Association Conference
April 25-29, 2009 - Minneapolis, MN
http://www.planning.org/nationalconference/
Green Roof Workshop
April 28, 2009 – Ankeny, IA
http://www.iowastormwater.org/
Local Climate Leadership Summit
May 18-20, 2009 – Washington, DC
http://www.localclimateleadershipsummit.org/
Rain Gardens and Bioretention Cells
May 29, 2009 – Ankeny, IA
http://www.iowastormwater.org/
Funding and Assistance Opportunities:
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Grants and Loans - USDA
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia/rbs.html
Energy Provisions for Iowa in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009
http://www.energy.iowa.gov/ARRA09/index.html
Public Art Funding - Iowa Arts Council – April 1, 2009
http://www.iowaartscouncil.org/funding/overview.shtml
Water Quality Project Grants - Iowa DNR – April 1, 2009
http://watershed.iowadnr.gov/
Sustainable Communities and Downtowns – IDED CDBG – April 2, 2009
and ongoing
http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/community/
Smart Growth Implementation Assistance – April 23, 2009
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/sgia.htm