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Welcome to the latest edition of the EFC eNews! Inside, you'll find recent news from EPA and other partners and organizations on environmental policy and issues, new publications, funding opportunities, and upcoming events. For more information on how to engage EFC, or to submit news and events, please feel free to contact us or visit our website.
Sincerely, 
Sara Pesek
Director
Environmental Finance Center |
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Workshops, Trainings & Webinars
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REGISTER NOW!
TAPF: Wetlands, Watersheds and Resources
Syracuse, NY | Mar. 22, 2012
10:00 - 2:30 PM
Hosted by EFC, this Technical Assistance Partnership Forum (TAPF) will include policy and funding updates on the Consolidated Funding Application, and an overview of the design, construction and use of constructed wetlands in rural and urban areas. The one-day TAPF program is $30, and includes lunch. Registration for TAPF is now open - click here to register. Space is limited, so please register by March 15. For more information, contact Melissa Young.
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FULL AGENDA AVAILABLE - REGISTER NOW!
Smart Management for Small Communities: Practical Resources for Governance
Blue Mountain Lake, NY | Apr. 10-12, 2012
Continuing in the EFC tradition, our annual local leaders conference at Minnowbrook Conference Center in Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks 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.
Preliminary Agenda Topics Include:
- Tools for Public Outreach and Engagement
- Funding Updates
- Rural Smart Growth
- Community Level Agriculture Planning and Watershed Management
- The Local Leader's Role in Whole Farm Planning and Water Quality
- Green Infrastructure & Constructed Wetlands
- Managing Municipal Solid Waste at the County and Local Level
- Sustainable Materials Management Panel
- Capital Improvement Planning Activity
- Asset Management Tools
Who Should Attend:
Supervisors, Mayors, Council/Board Members, Clerks, County Leaders, and Other Interested Community Leaders
Conference registration is now open, click here to register. Contact Melissa Young for more information.
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Stormwater Management for Linear Projects
Syracuse, NY | Mar. 15, 2012
Linear development projects, such as highways and pipelines, present unique stormwater management challenges. This class will provide the techniques and practices most applicable for achieving erosion and sediment control, peak flow mitigation, pollutant removal and runoff reduction on these confined site conditions.
Topics Include:
* Linear projects and the stormwater permit
* Erosion and sediment control specifics for linear projects
* Applicable stormwater management practices
* NYDOT design criteria for stormwater management
* Hydrology & hydraulics
* Achieving runoff reduction
* Retrofits
* Maintenance
Registration deadline is March 8, 2012. To register, and for more information, click here.
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ESF Green Building Conference
Syracuse, NY | Mar. 29-30, 2012
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Strive for Sustainability Conference
Lake George, NY | May 20-23, 2012
Hosted by the The Federation of New York Solid Waste Associations, the Federation Spring Conference and Trade Show attracts over 700 public and private sector solid waste and recycling professionals to a technical program with 90 presentations and an expanded Trade Show that is supported by 120 major exhibitors. For more information and to register, click here.
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New Tool Provides Access to Water
Pollution Data
EPA has announced the release of a new tool that provides the public with important information about pollutants that are released into local waterways. The discharge monitoring report pollutant loading tool brings together millions of records and allows for easy searching and mapping of water pollution by local area, watershed, company, industry sector and pollutant. The public can use this new tool to protect their health and the health of their communities. To view the tool, click here.
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2010-2011 Climate Change and Water Progress Report Available Online
EPA has released the "U.S. EPA National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change 2010 - 2011 National and Regional Highlights of Progress." The progress report highlights the accomplishments of EPA's water programs during 2010 and 2011, and touches upon EPA activities and efforts undertaken across headquarters, regions, and the large aquatic ecosystem programs to address climate change impacts on our water programs. To access the report, click here.
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Students Vs. Trash Poster Design Competition
With financial support from EPA Region 2 under a cooperative agreement, EFC is hosting a poster design contest called "Students Vs. Trash" for university and college students throughout EPA Region 2 - New Jersey, New York and Puerto Rico. The purpose of the contest is to use design to defeat trash and get people excited to reuse, recycle, and stop littering. Using a strategy that leverages the power of social media, the contest will impact a greater audience, and also reduce waste by not physically printing an excess number of posters. To learn more about the contest and how to get involved, visit the Students Vs. Trash website. |
EPA Announces Availability of Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance to Selected Partner Communities
EPA is accepting letters of interest from communities interested in receiving direct assistance for projects that facilitate the use of green infrastructure to protect water quality. Technical assistance will be provided through EPA contract support, and will be directed to watersheds
/sewersheds with significant water quality degradation associated with urban stormwater. The total EPA assistance available is approximately $950,000, and will be distributed among 10 to 20 projects. The value of the assistance available to each project will be approximately $50,000 to $100,000. Letters of interest must be received by April 6, 2012. For more information, please see EPA's green infrastructure website. |
EPA's FY 2013 Budget Proposal Focuses on Core Environmental and Human Health Protections
The Obama Administration proposed a FY 2013 budget of $8.344 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This budget reflects a government-wide effort to reduce spending and find cost-savings, and is $105 million below the EPA's enacted level for FY 2012. The FY 2013 budget is the result of EPA's ongoing efforts to carefully consider potential cost savings and reductions while continuing its commitment to core environmental and health protections -- safeguarding Americans from pollution in the air they breathe, the water they drink and the land where they build their communities.
Key FY 2013 budget highlights include:
* Supporting State Governments
* Protecting America's Waters
* Cleaning Up Contaminated Sites in Communities
* Investing in Cutting Edge Research
* Ongoing Support to Economically and Environmentally Vital Water Bodies
* Protecting Americans from Harmful Chemicals
* Next Generation Compliance
* Supporting the National Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Standards Program
* Reducing and Eliminating Programs
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EPA Issues Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Sites
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a new permit, in accordance with the Clean Water Act, that will provide streamlined permitting to thousands of construction operators, while protecting our nation's waterways from discharges of polluted stormwater from construction sites. Stormwater discharges from construction sites can contain harmful pollutants, such as nutrients, that contaminate waters, increase drinking water treatment costs, and damage aquatic ecosystems. The new permit was shaped by important input from the public and stakeholders to ensure that it provides important protections for waterways, while also providing flexibility to operators. For the full story, click here.
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Conservation Program Registration to
Open Soon
CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States.
Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6. For the whole story, click here.
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on Twitter, "Like" us on Facebook, and join our
group on LinkedIn! |
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Mar. 12, 2012
Western New York Stormwater Conference
Buffalo, NY
Details
Mar. 15, 2012
Stormwater Management for Linear Projects
Syracuse, NY
Details
Mar. 20-23, 2012
Strive for Sustainability Conference
Lake George, NY
Details
Mar. 22, 2012
TAPF: Wetlands, Watersheds and Resources
Syracuse, NY
Details
Mar. 29-30, 2013
ESF Green Building Conference
Syracuse, NY
Details
Apr. 10-12, 2012
Smart Management for Small Communities
Blue Mountain Lake, NY
Details
Apr. 17, 2012
Mattress Recycling Workshop
Northampton, MA
Details
Apr. 25, 2012
SWPPP Preparation and Review
Syracuse, NY
Details
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US Department of the Army:
Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) - Installation Energy Technology Demonstrations Deadline: Mar. 29
EPA:
Deadline: Apr. 10 HUD: Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants Deadline: Apr. 10 Department of Interior: FY 2012 Water & Wastewater Deadline: May 31 Helpful links for funding sources, as well as a number of published funding guides, can be found at the EFC website. |
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Green Project Exchange
is a user-driven database that showcases innovative, environmentally focused projects from across New York State.
This month's featured project is Plug-In To e-Cycling. In 2005 the Town of Huntington created an e-waste recycling program to reduce the amount of electronic waste being sent to landfills and encourage proper disposal. The program, named "Plug-In To e-Cycling," established a new, centrally located drop-off site open five days a week from 8am to 4pm, where the town collects old computers, cell phones, printers, televisions, and more per year.
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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.
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Communications and
Program Manager
Kathy Forrest
Administrative Assistant
Mark Lichtenstein
Principal Investigator
Carissa Matthews
Outreach Program Manager
Sara Pesek
EFC Director
Mandy Westerdahl
Education Program Manager
Melissa Young
Program Manager
Yusuf Abdul-Qadir
Tara Baron
Brad DeFrees
Sam Lauritzen
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