  October 2014
|
|
Welcome to the latest edition of the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center (Syracuse EFC) eNews! Inside, you'll find recent news, events, funding opportunities, and publications from Syracuse EFC, EPA, and other partners.
|
|
Syracuse EFC and Environmental Finance Center Network Partners Conclude Year One, Launch Year Two of Smart Management for Small Water Systems Program
In June, Syracuse EFC and the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN) concluded a successful first round of its Smart Management for Small Water Systems program, which promotes sustainable financing and management for small water systems. A total of 95 workshops, 19 webinars, and dozens of 1:1 technical assistance opportunities were provided for small water systems in all 50 states and five territories.
The EFCN is currently launching round two of the program.
|
 |
Health Co-benefits of Carbon Standards for Existing Power Plants
 Power plant standards to cut climate changing carbon emissions will reduce other harmful air pollution and provide substantial human health benefits according to a new study released in late September. The research shows that, depending on the policy options included in the final Clean Power Plan, the power plant standards could prevent
thousands of premature deaths and hospitalizations,
and hundreds of heart attacks in the United States
every year. In the new study, Health Co-benefits of Carbon Standards for Existing Power Plants, scientists at Harvard, Syracuse, and Boston Universities analyzed three options for standards to reduce carbon pollution from power plants.
The report was co-authored by Syracuse University Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering, Charles Driscoll.
|
|
|
Syracuse EFC Releases Summary Report from 2013 National Community Summit on Green Infrastructure
 Syracuse EFC has released a summary report from the October 2013 National Community Summit on Green Infrastructure in Syracuse. The report provides conclusions and recommendations from summit dialogues on program development and project selection, innovative financing, operations and maintenance, performance, and promoting adoption. The event was sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Onondaga County. It was coordinated and facilitated by the Syracuse Environmental Finance Center (Syracuse EFC), and co-hosted by Syracuse University, SUNY-ESF, the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Energy and Environmental Systems (SyracuseCoE), Onondaga Nation, and the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (NYSEFC).
|
|
|
Save the Date for Syracuse EFC's Annual Local Leadership Conference
Save the date for our annual local leadership conference, Smart Management for Small Communities: Practical Resources for Governance. The conference will take place April 21-23 at the Minnowbrook Conference Center in Blue Mountain Lake, NY.
Topics will include:
- Finance tools, grant writing, state and federal funding updates
- Process facilitation, leadership development, community engagement
- Environmental planning: agriculture and water resources, disaster mitigation
More details and registration coming soon!
|
|
 Recycling professionals from across New York are teaming up with textile recovery experts to reverse textile waste and help our state attain the economic, environmental, and social benefits of increased textile recycling. This campaign, launching on November 15 (America recycles Day), is being organized by the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3), the Council for Textile Recycling (CTR) and the Association of Wiping Materials, Used Clothing and fiber Industries (also known as Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles, or "SMART").
Communities and organizations are invited to make a pledge to spread awareness about textile recovery and recycling by hosting textile collection events, passing resolutions, holding press events, and more. Email your plans to Lauren Laibach, Textile Campaign Project Assistant, at nysar3textile@gmail.com as soon as possible. |
|
|
|
Workshops, Trainings & Webinars
|
|
Save the Rain Green Infrastructure Maintenance Workshop
October 23, 2014 | 9:00am - 12:00pm
Syracuse Center of Excellence
727 E. Washington St, Syracuse
Join Save the Rain and Onondaga Earth Corps for a FREE green infrastructure maintenance workshop to brush up on maintenance best practices for porous pavement, green roofs, drains, trees and landscaping, and more!
RSVP to Khris Dodson at kadodson@syr.edu by October 21
|
|
Long Island On-Farm Composting Tour and Workshop
October 28, 2014 | 9:00am - 4:00pm
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
423 Griffing Ave, Riverhead, NY 11901
Agenda topics: Compost basics, compost feedstock and processing, regulations, soil/compost production interactions, natural rendering, compost quality, producing compost for various markets, and troubleshooting
Several compost facilities will be toured on day two.
|
|
Net-Zero Energy Solutions for Water Resource Recovery Facilities
October 29, 2014 | 1:00 - 2:30pm
Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) will present success stories of energy neutral or near-neutral facilities, and provide guidance to water resource recovery facilities on how they can follow the "roadmap" that will enable them to locate or benchmark themselves and chart their own path to net zero.
Learn More
|
|
|
Town of DeWitt to Host Presentation for Local Elected Officials and Environmental Leaders
October 22, 2014 | 10am - noon
Courtroom, DeWitt Town Hall
5400 Butternut Dr, East Syracuse, NY 13057
Elected officials and environmental leaders are invited to a free presentation by Neil Seldman, leader of the Institute for Local Self Reliance. Mr. Seldman will discuss programs such as pay as you throw, deconstruction and resale of building materials, household food recovery programs, zero waste planning, municipal purchasing, and other initiatives from communities throughout North America that have been successful in supporting the growth and development of local economies.
|
|
|
Flood Resilience: A Basic Guide for Water and Wastewater Utilities
 The EPA developed this guide to help drinking water and wastewater utilities become more resilient to flooding. In this approach, the utility would examine the threat of flooding, determine impacts to utility assets and identify cost effective mitigation options. This approach was successfully tested during a pilot project at a small drinking water system, the Berwick Water Department (BWD), in Berwick, Maine. The guide is particularly useful for small and medium utilities.
|
|
The Sustainable Community Indicator Catalog helps communities identify indicators that can measure progress toward their sustainability objectives. The indicators in this catalog focus on the relationships among land use, housing, transportation, human health, and the environment. This project is the result of collaboration between University of Pennsylvania's Penn Institute for Urban Research, the HUD Office for International and Philanthropic Innovation and the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
Learn More
|
|
|
Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant Request for Proposals
EPA is soliciting proposals for the management of the Healthy Watersheds Consortium Grant. The purpose of the grant is to accelerate and expand the strategic protection of healthy freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds across the country. EPA expects to issue a cooperative agreement to fund a single grantee.
Deadline: January 5, 2015
Eligible Organizations: Non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations, interstate agencies, and inter-tribal consortia
Available Funding: Approximately $3.75 million over six years
Learn More
|
|
|
|
Syracuse EFC in the Caribbean News
|
|
USDA-RD Awards Syracuse EFC Funding to Promote Sustainable Materials Management
The US Department of Agriculture Rural Development Utilities Program recently awarded Syracuse EFC funding to develop a leadership network and promote Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) in New York and Puerto Rico. Syracuse EFC will conduct community education and outreach and hold forums, workshops, and training sessions on SMM strategies.
This funding will support the 4th year of the Syracuse EFC Stewardship Program, designed to implement education and outreach programs for college students, K-12 students and teachers, and youth groups on SMM practices that divert materials from the discard stream, as well as guide stewards on how to be leaders in the growing SMM field.
Syracuse EFC will engage rural communities in both NY and PR in Summits or discussion forums where they will be able to learn from their peers about innovative SMM strategies, including financing and project implementation.
|
|
The Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center (Syracuse EFC) facilitates the development of sustainable and resilient communities throughout US EPA Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and eight tribal nations), across the US, and internationally.
Located at the Syracuse University Center for Sustainable Community Solutions, Syracuse EFC enhances the administrative and financial capacities of state and local government officials, nonprofit organizations, and private sectors to make change toward improved environmental infrastructure and quality of life.
|
Syracuse EFC Staff
Ana V. Arache Project Assistant
Lydia Brinkley Research Assistant
Laura Cardoso Program Coordinator Brad DeFrees Program Coordinator
Khristopher Dodson Associate Director
Caitlin Eger Staff Scientist
Laura Flagg
Project Assistant
Kathy Forrest Budget Administrator Kaira T. Fuentes
Project Assistant Katie Kayajanian Project Assistant Mark Lichtenstein Executive Director Lisa Ruggero Project Assistant Brandon Strouse Communications Assistant Lucy Tomkiewicz Communications Assistant
Mandy Westerdahl Communications Manager
Melissa Young Assistant Director
Please visit our website, efc.syracusecoe.org |
|
|
Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center (Syracuse EFC) programs and projects are supported in part by funding from USDA-RD and EPA.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, and familial status.
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6582 (TDD).
---------
To reach us via the NYS Relay Service, please dial 7-1-1. If you are calling from within Syracuse University, please dial800-662-1220. Click here to download instructions on how to use this service.
|
Like Syracuse EFC on Facebook!
|
|
|
|
|
