EFC has recently released "A Guide to Office Composting," which includes a basic introduction on how to set-up a composting system in the office. The manual follows a case study done by EFC staff at the Syracuse Center of Excellence headquarters building. To view the brochure in PDF, click here.   

Regional Plan Association and America 2050 are engaged in a project to evaluate landscape initiatives working in the Northeast Megaregion and to study the conservation and development context for their work. The groups are continuing to build their Northeast Landscape Initiatives Inventory, which now totals 165 initiatives. The website now also includes three new sets of context maps for Habitat, Water, and Open Space, as well as case studies profiling landscape initiatives that have been successful at protecting these important resources. To learn more and to view the maps, click here.

The "Sustainable Communities, Healthy Watersheds" report contains information about EPA's work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the development of new draft guidance on Identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act (also known as the Waters of the U.S. Draft Guidance), progress in better protection of water quality in Appalachia from the harmful effects of surface coal mining operations, and advancement in the work of the National Ocean Council. For more information, and to read the report in its entirety, click here.

Geneva, NY | July 21-22
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

This two-day conference, sponsored by EFC, will provide education, information resources, and practical knowledge regarding potential costs and benefits of shale gas development in NY, for the purpose of facilitating informed decision-making by individuals, non-profit organizations, municipalities, health professionals, planners and their counsel. To learn more about the conference or to register, click here.  

Batavia, Ilion and Fishkill | July 13, 20, and 27
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM    

The seminar is formatted to be valuable for design engineers, wastewater facility operators, facility managers, and those who are interested in learning technical details of these widely-applied treatment processes. Attendees of this training session can expect to gain knowledge and understanding of energy management and conservation at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). To view the complete program, click here. To register for one of the events, click here.

Online | July 21
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM 

Many have touted the successes in increasing participation and the amount of material collected by switching to single stream recycling, where all materials, paper, glass, plastic and metals are put in one bin. Others have criticized single stream for the amount of contamination it causes in the materials collected and the large amount of contamination, especially from broken glass it causes to the recyclables, causing a lot of the material collected to be landfilled or sold at a lower price.  This webinar will have three experts in single stream recycling discuss in a debate style format the pros and cons of this recycling system and offer tips on how to run an effective program. To learn more, click here.

Syracuse, NY | September 14
9:30 AM - 2:30 PM 

Join EFC, the NYSAR3 Organics Council and local experts in organics management planning and composting for a day of learning and discussion. If
you are looking to start composting yard trimmings or food scraps generated in your municipality or institution, or would like suggestions for making your
organics recycling program more effective, then this forum is for you. For more information, click here.

Ellicottville, NY | October 6-7
8:30 AM - 4:00 PM 

Continuing the Local Leaders Conference series hosted by the Environmental Finance Center, this event in Ellicottville will focus on the needs of municipal leaders and provide technical assistance, funding updates and practical skill-building sessions. Speakers will address pressing environmental topics, equipping attendees with the tools needed to address environmental challenges in our communities. For more information, click here.

A new federal partnership aims to stimulate regional and local economies, create local jobs, improve quality of life, and protect Americans' health by revitalizing urban waterways in under-served communities across the country. The Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP), an innovative federal union comprised of 11 agencies, will focus its initial efforts on seven pilot locations, including the Bronx & Harlem River Watersheds. Lessons learned from these pilot locations will be transferred to other cities in the country. For the full story, click here.

July 13, 20 and 27, 2011:

The Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Facility; Batalvia, Ilion and Fishkill, NY 

Details

July 14 and 21, 2011:

Audubon International Webinars 

Online.

Details

July 14-16, 2011:

ReLeaf Conference 

SUNY New Paltz

Details

July 21-22, 2011:

Proactive Approaches to Mitigating Impacts of Marcellus Shale Development 

Geneva, NY.

Details 

July 21, 2011:

SMM Web Academy: Recycling and Solid Waste Management Educational Series 

Sept. 22, 2011:

Technical Assistance Partnership Forum
Syracuse, NY. 

Details  

Oct. 6-7, 2011:

Smart Management for Small Communities: Practical Resources for Governance

Ellicottville, NY.

Details  

Environmental Justice Grant 

Applications due September 9 

Details   

Helpful links for funding sources, as well as a number of published funding guides, can be found here at the EFC website.

The Environmental Finance Center at Syracuse University facilitates the development of sustainable and resilient communities across US EPA Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and eight tribal nations).  

Located at the SyracuseCoE Center for Sustainable Community Solutions, 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.