November 2011

From helping control floods to serving as natural buffers against water pollution to providing recreational opportunities and habitat for fish and wildlife, wetlands offer benefits almost too numerous to count. To help protect these vital areas, members of the public can help EPA by reporting suspected violations of the federal laws that protect wetlands in EPA Region 2. Violations can now be easily reported on EPA's website. Once a suspected violation is submitted on the website, EPA scientists will perform an investigation to determine if regulatory action is required. For the full story, click here. 

In late October, EPA hosted a webinar, "Conducting Effective Stormwater Outreach," to help state and local agencies, municipalities, watershed groups and others design effective outreach initiatives. The archived webcast is now available online on EPA's website.  

With support from USDA-RD, EFC is pleased to announce seven available mini-grants of up to $5,000 for research conducted by students, academic institutions, governments, and non-profits on issues relating to agriculture and water quality, as well as sustainable materials management in rural communities. Applications are now due on Nov. 11, 2011. For more information, visit the EFC website. 

The call for proposals for the U.S. Forest Service 2012 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share grant program is now available. Applications are due to grants.gov by Dec. 1, 2011. For more information, visit the grants.gov website.  

Syracuse, NY | Nov. 16-17 

Growing Green Infrastructure in New York, hosted by EFC and SUNY-ESF Outreach, will provide a focused discussion and gathering of leaders, professionals, researchers, government officials, and others who wish to learn more about advances in green infrastructure applications and connections to workforce development, community vitlaity and Smart Growth principles.  

Wed. Nov. 16
What is i-Tree? Hosted by SUNY ESF Outreach   

Soils and Hydrology for Green Infrastructure * *7.0 PDHs Available for Completing this Workshop** Hosted by the CNY Regional Planning and Development Board 

Bus Tour of Green Infrastructure Projects in Syracuse

Save the Rain Pre-Conference Networking Reception and Project 50 Celebration

Thursday, Nov. 17  

Growing Green Infrastructure Conference

• Welcoming Remarks & Featured Speaker County Executive Joanie Mahoney (invited),
  Jim Tierney, Assistant Commissioner
  for Water Resources, NYS DEC (invited) 
• Panel: Strategically Advancing Green Infrastructure: Sandra Allen, NYS EFC; Larry Levine, NRDC; Jim Tierney, NYS DEC; Brian Smith, Citizens Campaign for the Environment 
• Concurrent Sessions 
• Lunch & Featured Speaker
  Charlie Miller, Roofmeadow 
• Concurrent Sessions  

For more information on programming and to register, click here.

Syracuse, NY | Various Dates  

The CNY Regional Planning & Development Board is pleased to announce that registration for the 2011 - 2012 Stormwater Management Training Series is now open.   This year, CNYRPDB is partnering with the Environmental Finance Center at the Syracuse Center of Excellence to present 5 professional level stormwater training courses: 

The New York Product Stewardship Council and the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse & Recycling, in partnership with Call2Recycle, are offering a free webinar series on municipal recycling that runs through this fall. Topics include:

• The ABCs of EPR and OCRRA - Recycling Efforts Unique to Municipalities (Nov. 2)
• A Tale of Two Communities - How EPR & Recycling are Keeping Washington State 'Evergreen' (Nov. 17) 

To learn more and register, click here.

Nov. 9, 2011:

Advanced Process Control

Fishkill, NY 

Nov. 15, 2011:

NEIWPCC Training: O&M of Wastewater Collection Systems 

Green Island, NY

Details 

Nov. 16-17, 2011:

Growing Green Infrastructure in New York 

Syracuse, NY 

Details  

Dec. 12, 2011:

NEIWPCC Training: Train the Trainer Workshop

Yorktown, NY

Details 

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

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 "Alliance For a Greener Downtown". The Alliance For A Greener Downtown was created in April, 2011. A group of 20 Gaffer District Business Association merchants, this Alliance began collaborating to enhance the awareness of green services and products in the downtown business community. The focus of AFGD is to create a greener downtown business district by raising awareness of green products and services available within the business district, educating businesses and the community on the importance of choosing green alternatives, and encouraging environmentally friendly practices among shop owners.

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.