L3r>j & Community RaftjliiJitlph BP.OWN FIELDS BROWNFIELDS WHAT'S NEW December 10, 2008 &EPA New England In This Issue Page 1 > 2008 MA Smart Growth/Smart Energy Conference > The Big Deal 2009 > ACRES Training >- Sustainable Skylines Initiative Page 2 > Sustainable Sites Initiative > Brownfields 2009 > MA Green Jobs Pathways Out of Poverty Grants ©" O 2008 Massachusetts Smart Growth/Smart Energy Conference Think Green: Educate and Engage Friday, December 12, 2008 8:00 AM-4:00 PM The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center 415 Summer Street Boston, Massachusetts 02210 Join Massachusetts advocates, local officials and policy makers on Friday, December 12, 2008 at the Massachusetts Smart Growth/Smart Energy Conference. This year's theme is THINK GREEN: Educate and Engage and we will focus on the latest housing, transportation, economic development, energy, public health, and environmental innovations. Click here for more information about the conference, workshops and registration. # National Brownfieid Associations City of Phoenix THE BIG DEAL 2009 * March 24 & 25 The Big Deal 2009 The National Brownfielci Associations and its partner, the City of Phoenix, a leader in green building, invite you to THE BIG DEAL 2009, at the Phoenix Convention Center, March 24 & 25, 2009. • Early-Bird Registration Ends December 15. Save $100 on Conference Admission • Find out how to be an exhibitor or sponsor. • Do you have a brownfieid property for redevelopment? Showcase your property at the Brownfieid Transaction Forum. ASSESSMENT CLEANUP & REDEVELOPMENT EXCHANGE SYSTEM ACRES Training The 2009 online ACRES training schedule is now available. The dates and times are: • Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 2 pm EST • Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at 2 pm EST • Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at 2 pm EST • Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 2 pm EST • Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at 2 pm EST • Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 2 pm EST The Assessment. Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) is an online database for Brownfields grantees to electronically submit data directly to EPA. i* ! l^rY/ Sustaftiable Scyfines Sustainable Skylines Initiative Closing Date: December 17, 2008 EPA is announcing the availability of funds and is soliciting applications from eligible entities to compete for financial assistance through the Sustainable Skylines Initiative (SSI). The SSI provides a framework to integrate transportation, energy, land use and air quality planning programs into projects that yield measurable air quality benefits in a relatively short period of time. SSI works with eligible entities to aid their communities to develop locally-led activities to help reduce emissions and promote sustainability with the goal of cleaner and healthier air. This is performed by participants working with EPA and other partners to increase community participation and leverage resources. The long-term goal of SSI is to help communities build self-sustaining, community-based partnerships that will continue to achieve positive environmental impacts, livability, and economic development benefits for many generations to come. See the Reguest for Applications (RFA) (PDF and the Questions and Answers. Dated November 6. 2008 (PDF) for more information. 1 of 2 ------- Sustainable Sites Initiative Released Draft 2008 Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks The Sustainable Sites Initiative is an interdisciplinary partnership led by the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United States Botanic Garden and a diverse group of stakeholder organizations, including the US EPA, working together to foster a transformation in land development and management practices. Through the creation and implementation of clear and rigorous design, construction, operations, and maintenance criteria, the Initiative aims to supplement existing green building and landscape guidelines as well as to become a stand-alone tool for site sustainability. On November 10th, the Sustainable Sites Initiative released the Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks Draft 2008 for public comment. This important milestone builds on the initial Standards and Guidelines: Preliminary Report released in November of last year. The new draft contains over 50 proposed prerequisites and credits ranging from site selection to sustainable maintenance practices. The metrics' format will be similar to existing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) tools in structure and will include the following components: Credit intent Ecosystem services addressed Social and economic benefits Requirements Submittal documentation Technologies and strategies Resources The Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks Draft 2008 are available for download and public comment. The public comment period closes on January 20, 2009. To participate in the review process, click here. Brownfields 2009 The next Brownfields Conference is scheduled for November 16 - 18, 2009 in New Orleans. Check the conference website for more information as the date approaches. MA Green Jobs Pathways Out of Poverty Grants Clean energy companies, community-based nonprofit groups, educational institutions, and labor organizations are among those eligible for $1 million in newly created "green collar" job training grants announced by the Office Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). Authorized by the Green Jobs Act signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in August, EEA's new Pathways Out of Poverty Grants are designed to jumpstart training in clean energy careers for low- and moderate-income residents. EEA will award five grants of $100,000 to $300,000 each to programs that serve workers with incomes at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($63,600 for family of four). Grants will target programs in the Commonwealth's "Gateway Communities" of Brockton, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester-former mill cities that continue to provide first homes and first jobs for new immigrants. Projects eligible for Pathways out of Poverty grants include job training and apprenticeship programs, relevant education, career coaching, outreach and recruitment of unemployed participants, and skills credentialing programs. While grant applicants are not required to provide matching funds, EEA will give more weight in the selection process to projects that leverage funding from additional sources. In addition to authorizing Pathways out of Poverty grants, the Green Jobs Act created a new Clean Energy Technology Center that will support workforce development, university partnerships, R&D, and clean energy entrepreneurship. Grant applications are due to EEA by January 6, 2009, for programs that are expected to begin in February and last through June 2010. Click here for more information and application materials Send your Brownfields-related items for inclusion in this newsletter to Joe Ferrari at ferrari.ioe@epa.gov. Disclaimer: Some of the events, articles and websites listed in this newsletter are non-EPA sponsored events and websites. EPA is providing them for your information only and is not responsible for the content of the websites or the information distributed at a non-EPA listed event. BROWNFIELDS Add me to What's New updates! Remove me from What's New updates! 2 of 2 ------- |