The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently named seven municipalities 2013 Smart Growth Achievement award winners for creative and environmentally sustainable economic growth initiatives. The winners included a recreational greenway in Atlanta, Georgia; a tourism-focused rafting park in Iowa, a regional economic development plan in Chicago, a re-furbished Historic District in Dubuque, Iowa and an environmentally friendly, affordable housing development in Sacramento, California.
The award winning municipalities were evaluated in five categories: overall excellence; revitalization of neighborhoods; consideration of parks and recreation places; establishment of policies and programs; and construction projects. Special consideration was given to cities and towns that focused on cleaning up brownfield and environmentally damaged sites; employed green strategies to manage storm-water and overall community water quality; provided for public transportation access; and fostered the growth of energy-efficient housing in lower-income neighborhoods.
In all, the EPA received seventy seven award applications from thirty one states including Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Despite the fierce competition, the winners were selected due to their effectiveness in fostering sustainable neighborhoods; encouraging equitable distribution between all stakeholders, including residents, government, and non-profits groups; and serving as models for their ability to integrate development plans that are both environmentally focused and economically sustainable over time. The Smart Growth Achievement award was created in 2002 and to date, sixty one community winners from twenty six states have been honored for their work and strategic planning and development.
WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Smart economic planning and green-friendly ideas don’t have to be separate and distinct. In fact, when you combine the two, your town or business can often come out ahead because you’ll be using both ideas to go green and save green!