U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (Region 7)

Communities Information Digest

*Has this edition of the digest been forwarded to you by a friend or colleague? Would you like to sign up to receive future digests? If so, please send an email to Tegan Vaughn, vaughn.tegan@epa.gov. Thank you!* November 13, 2013 Find us @ www.facebook.com/eparegion7 or https://twitter.com/eparegion7. Note: New items are in *asterisks*.

News
*Applications Now Being Accepted for Smart Growth Americas 2014 Free Technical Assistance Workshops* Smart Growth America is now accepting applications for its 2014 free technical assistance workshops. Communities interested in learning about smart growth strategies are welcome and encouraged to submit an application for one of 12 types of technical assistance workshops. Smart Growth America's free technical assistance workshops program, now in its third year, helps city and regional leaders find solutions to local issues and concerns. These workshops help participating communities to grow in ways that benefit families and businesses while protecting the environment and preserving a sense of place. Smart Growth America will again offer 12 types of workshops as part of the free program. These include: Implementing smart growth 101 Planning for economic and fiscal health Regional planning for small communities Sustainable land use code audit Smart growth zoning codes for small cities Complete streets Walkability workshop/audit Transportation performance measurement Parking audit

 Implementing transit-oriented development 101 Cool planning: local strategies to slow climate change Using LEED-ND to accelerate the development of sustainable communities How to apply: Any unit or subdivision of local government, Indian tribe or regional government is eligible to apply for these free workshops. Communities should select one workshop per application; applicants may submit additional applications for more than one workshop. Applications are due by Friday, December 6, 2013 at 5:00 PM EST. In addition to annual free workshops, Smart Growth Americas technical assistance is available year round for a fee. Our expert staff can help your community achieve its development goals. Learn more on Smart Growth America's website. *EPA Releases Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data from Large Facilities* Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its third year of greenhouse gas data detailing carbon pollution emissions and trends broken down by industrial sector, greenhouse gas, geographic region, and individual facility. The data, required to be collected annually by Congress, highlight a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions as more utilities switch to cleaner burning natural gas. The 2012 data show that in the two years since reporting began, emissions from power plants have decreased 10 percent. This is due to a switch from coal to natural gas for electricity generation and a slight decrease in electricity production. The data are accessible through EPAs online data publication tool, FLIGHT, which is available for both desktop and mobile devices. This year, with three years of data for most sources, FLIGHT has been updated with new features, including the ability to view trend graphs by sector and facility, and download charts and graphs for use in presentations and reports. The data are also published through EnviroFacts, which allows the public to download data for further analyses. Access EPAs GHG Reporting Program Data and Data Publication Tool: http://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/. Access EnviroFacts: http://epa.gov/enviro/. *EPA Awards $400,000 to Communities to Reduce Water Pollution, Build Resilience to Climate Change - Communities in Rhode Island, Michigan, Nebraska, Indiana, Arizona, and South Carolina will receive funding for green infrastructure* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced $400,000 to help six communities expand their use of green infrastructure to reduce water pollution and boost resilience to the impacts of climate change. The funding is in support of President Obamas Climate Action Plan, which directs federal agencies to identify climate-resilient investments such as agency grants and technical assistance for communities across the country. This new funding continues the agencys support for communities using green infrastructure to reduce water pollution and protect human health while increasing economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy savings, and open space. Green infrastructure builds resilience to the impacts of climate change, particularly by reducing the burden on local water infrastructure. In the last two years, EPA has provided $1.35 million to more than 20 communities for green infrastructure. To share lessons learned from green infrastructure projects, EPA is releasing a series of reports highlighting the work of communities that received technical assistance from the agency in 2012, including Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Portland. To learn about the six communities, and for more information on the green infrastructure assistance, progress reports and strategy visit: http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_support.cfm. *EPA Recognizes WaterSense Partners of the Year for their Efforts in Promoting Water Efficiency* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing its 2013 WaterSense Partners of the Year, including two partners who received the first-ever WaterSense Sustained Excellence awards in recognition of their continuous high level of support. The Partner of the Year awards program recognizes the commitment of WaterSense partners in promoting water efficiency to the American public. The award

winners efforts, along with those of more than 2,700 other WaterSense partners, have helped Americans save 487 billion gallons of water and $8.9 billion in water and energy bills. View a list of winners and learn more about the 2013 Sustained Excellence Award winners, WaterSense Partners of the Year, and Excellence Award winners at www.epa.gov/watersense. *Energy Department Announces Topics and New Approaches for Grants to Small Businesses in Clean Energy Technologies* The Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) today announced new topics under its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Technology Transfer (STTR) program that will help small businesses develop innovative ideas and deliver market-driven solutions. EERE's areas of interest range from energy-saving buildings and manufacturing to sustainable transportation and renewable electricity generation. Click here to read the full story *Energy Department Announces $60 Million to Drive Affordable, Efficient Solar Power* Building on President Obama's broad-based plan to cut carbon pollution and support clean energy innovation across the country, Energy Secretary Moniz announced today about $60 million to support innovative solar energy research and development. As part of the Department's SunShot Initiative, these awards will help lower the cost of solar electricity, advance seamless grid integration, and support a growing U.S. solar workforce. Click here to read the full story.

Funding Opportunities
*December 16, 2013: Urban Waters Small Grants Program $40,000 to $60,000 each December 16: Wells Fargo and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Environmental Solutions for Communities Grants Program Grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 each http://www.nfwf.org/environmentalsolutions/Pages/2014rfp.aspx *January 13: National Endowment for the Arts FY 2014 Our Town Initiative Grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 each, http://arts.gov/grants-organizations/our-town/grant-program-description January 15: The Forest Services Community Forest and Open Space Program $4 million http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/cfp.shtml February 20: National Science Foundations Energy for Sustainability http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/searchgrants.html?keywords=PD-14-7644

Meetings, Conferences, & Events

November 18-20: Behavior, Energy and Climate Change (BECC) Conference 2013 Sacramento, California http://beccconference.org/ November 18-20: 2013 Louisiana Smart Growth Summit Baton Rouge, LA http://summit.cpex.org/register-now-for-the-2013-smartgrowth-summit/ November 20: 2013 Massachusetts Smart Growth Conference Boston, MA. http://ma-smartgrowth.org/take-action/smart-growthconference/ November 20-22: GreenBuild 2013 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania February 10-12, 2014: Forward Thinking on the Front Range: A Smart Growth Tour Denver, Colorado February, 13-15, 2014: New Partners for Smart Growth Annual Conference Denver, Colorado http://newpartners.org/ *March 27-29: National Green Schools Conference, Sacramento, California http://greenschoolsnationalnetwork.org/conference/ *May 18 -20: 2014 National Main Streets Conference Detroit, Michigan June 4-7: 22nd Annual Congress for New Urbanism Buffalo, New York

Webinars & Conference Calls

*Nature Explore Classroom (Arbor Day Foundation and KAB) Webinar, Nov. 13, 2013, 3-4 p.m.* This Webinar is designed to provide evidence-based solutions for creating nature-rich outdoor classrooms that offer children meaningful, daily connections with the natural world. Research shows these outdoor classrooms support childrens skill development across all learning domains. Learn how school-community-family connections are fostered in this innovative project. The Arbor Day Foundations and Dimensions Educational Research Foundations collaborative Nature Explore program works with Keep America Beautiful (KAB) in diverse communities and in varied settings to encourage and support the development of certified Nature Explore Classrooms. These outdoor classrooms support whatever curriculum a school may be using. through creation of a well-designed space that allows for bringing regular classroom activities and learning outdoors on a daily basis. This presentation will look at examples of completed projects and learn about their positive impact on children, families, community and the environment. Register here. *Sensible Steps for Mold and Moisture Control in Schools (EPA) Webinar Nov. 19, 2013, 3-4 p.m.* This webinar will provide current information about the health effects of mold; you will learn ways to prevent moisture and condensation problems; and get the most up-to-date information about mold removal. Register here. *ENERGY STAR Webcast: November 20, 1:00-2:00 PM (EST) Water: Benchmarking and Best Practices from WaterSense*

Organizations can track their facilities water use along with energy use in Portfolio Manager to increase efficiency and imp rove performance. This webinar will feature the water management features in Portfolio Manager and give an overview of water trends in the thousands of facilities across the country that already use these features. Next the WaterSense program will discuss ways to save water and energy with WaterSense labeled products and best management practices. Finally, examples and case studies will detail improvements made in facilities and lessons learned along the way. Register Now. *Department of Energy (DOE) Webcast: November 20, 3:00-4:00 PM (EST) Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach Webinar: Jobs and Economic Development Impacts of Offshore Wind* Starting more than a year ago, NREL initiated work to expand the Jobs and Economic Development Impacts (JEDI) model to include fixedbottom offshore wind technology. Following the completion of the model (and in partnership with the DOE Wind Program, Illinois State University, and James Madison University), NREL supported the analysis of the regional jobs and economic impacts of offshore wind for the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Gulf Coast regions. The November Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach webinar will provide an overview of the new offshore wind JEDI model and review the four assessments that have been completed. Advance Registration is not required. Login information here. *ClimateChangeLIVE Education Resources Highlights Part 1 (USFS) Webinar, Nov. 20, 2013, 7:30-9:00 p.m.* ClimateChangeLIVE distance learning adventure, brings you a wealth of climate change education resources and programs from 17 Federal agencies and non-profit organizations! We offer educators, a source of trusted, science-based materials, which are correlated to science education standards. This webinar will highlight climate change education resources and programs from four of our partners. NOAA has a wealth of climate change education resources and programs to share with you. Learn about citizen science opportunities from Project Budburst. The Department of Energy will share the BITES (Buildings Industry Technology Electricity Scenarios) Tool which students can use to make policy changes in the four sectors and run scenarios to see how their changes impact CO2 output as well as primary energy source dependence. DOE will also highlight a variety of reliable sources of information related to energy concepts and data. National Wildlife Federation will highlight their Eco-Schools program and how you can move your school toward sustainability. Register here. *EPA Webcast: November 21, 1:00-2:30 PM (EST) Energy Efficiency Costs and Savings at the National Level* Join us for next webinar in an ongoing series of Evaluation, Measurement, and Verification (EM&V) webinars for state agencies and officials. Topics covered in this webinar include the Energy Information Agency's (EIA) approach to capturing energy efficiency in their Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) electricity forecast. We will also hear from national experts about new data on the costs to utilities and other program administrators of acquiring energy efficiency savings. This webinar is hosted by EPA in conjunction with DOEs SEE Action EM&V Workgroup. Registration information will be available here soon. *ENERGY STAR Webcast: November 21, 1:00- PM (EST) Portfolio Manager Office Hours* Join this open session to ask your questions about the new Portfolio Manager tool. Portfolio Manager expert and technical team lead, Alexandra Sullivan, will be answering questions on the general features and calculations of Portfolio Manager which are applicable to everyone. Please note that property specific questions, such as why/how your propertys metrics have changed or why the tool shows certain values for particular years need to be investigated by an ENERGY STAR analyst to review your account, so please submit those questions on the Portfolio Manager website. Register Now *NACo Webcast: November 21, 2:00-3:15 PM (EST) - Grow Your Countys Green Building Industry Webinar* Building green provides many benefits: efficient operations, higher property value, comfortable and healthy spaces, creation of skilled jobs, and more. County governments can support local construction economies and meet growing demand for green buildings with thoughtfully

designed policies, mandatory codes, and voluntary incentive programs. In this National Association of Counties webinar, the second of two, speakers will discuss best practices and common pitfalls of implementing county strategies, and highlight counties where these approaches are being piloted. Register Now *Renovate Right: EPAs Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Program at Schools (EPA) Webinar, Dec. 17, 2013, 3-4 p.m.* In this webinar you will learn about the health effects of lead on children and how the RRP Rule applies to K-12 schools. You will also discover ways that school and early learning professionals can protect their students from lead poisoning. Register here.

Green Schools
*USDA Celebrates National Farm to School Month* Nationwide Census on Farm to School Activities Identifies Over 38,000 Schools with 21 Million Students Serving Over $350 Million in Local Food. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently highlighted important strides made in offering healthy, local food to millions of school children through USDA's Farm to School program, and emphasized the program's role in creating economic opportunity for America's farmers and ranchers. According to USDA's first-ever Farm to School Census, in school year 2011-2012, schools participating in farm to school activities purchased and served over $350 million in local food, with more than half of participating schools planning to purchase even more local foods in future school years. USDA is focused on improving childhood nutrition and empowering families to make healthier food choices by providing science-based information and advice, while expanding the availability of healthy food. America's students now have healthier and more nutritious school meals due to improved nutrition standards implemented as a result of the historic Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. USDA's MyPlate symbol and the resources at ChooseMyPlate.gov provide quick, easy reference tools for parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and communities. USDA awarded $5.2 million in grants to provide training and technical assistance for child nutrition foodservice professionals and support stronger school nutrition education programs. Collectively these policies and actions will help combat child hunger and obesity and improve the health and nutrition of the nation's children. For more information on the Farm to School program, please visit www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool. *EPA Announces Funding for Students Innovative Green Technologies* U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the 2013 recipients of EPAs People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Phase I grants. Forty teams of graduate and undergraduate students from across the country are each receiving a $15,000 grant for research proposals that develop solutions to real-world environmental challenges. Each team will use the award to develop their projects throughout the academic year. In the spring, they will travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual National Sustainable Design Expo. While at the Expo, teams will share their designs and compete for EPAs P3 Award and a Phase II grant of up to $90,000 to further develop their projects. Team projects are judged by a panel of environmental experts. In the past, P3 Phase II teams have gone on to create small businesses, which are helping to further Americas green economy. More information on the 2013 Phase I P3 awardees: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/p3/current/.

More information on the P3 program: http://www.epa.gov/P3. To learn more about Lucid Design visit: http://www.luciddesigngroup.com/index.html (not an EPA website; learn more: http://www2.epa.gov/webguide/exit-epa ). *Nature Explore Classroom (Arbor Day Foundation and KAB) Webinar, Nov. 13, 2013, 3-4 p.m.* This Webinar is designed to provide evidence-based solutions for creating nature-rich outdoor classrooms that offer children meaningful, daily connections with the natural world. Research shows these outdoor classrooms support childrens skill development across all learning domains. Learn how school-community-family connections are fostered in this innovative project. The Arbor Day Foundations and Dimensions Educational Research Foundations collaborative Nature Explore program works with Keep America Beautiful (KAB) in diverse communities and in varied settings to encourage and support the development of certified Nature Explore Classrooms. These outdoor classrooms support whatever curriculum a school may be using. through creation of a well-designed space that allows for bringing regular classroom activities and learning outdoors on a daily basis. This presentation will look at examples of completed projects and learn about their positive impact on children, families, community and the environment. Register here. *Sensible Steps for Mold and Moisture Control in Schools (EPA) Webinar Nov. 19, 2013, 3-4 p.m.* This webinar will provide current information about the health effects of mold; you will learn ways to prevent moisture and condensation problems; and get the most up-to-date information about mold removal. Register here. *Green Ribbon Schools Award Program for State of California Applications Due December 27* The U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) recognition award honors schools that are exemplary in reducing environmental impact and costs; improving the health and wellness of students and staff; and providing effective environmental and sustainability education, which incorporates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), civic skills and green career pathways. The recognition award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education (ED) effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about practices that are proven to result in improved student engagement, higher academic achievement, and graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, as well as a government-wide goal of increasing energy independence and economic security. K-12 public and private schools, early learning centers, and school districts are eligible for ED-GRS. APPLY NOW: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/fa/sf/greenribbonprog.asp *Updated EPA Guidance on PCBs in Schools* EPAs updated guidance on PCBs in fluorescent light ballasts (FLBs) for school administrators and maintenance personnel is now available on the EPA website. The guidance is available at: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/hazard/tsd/pcbs/pubs/ballasts.htm. *Two New Mexico High Schools Powered by 80% Solar* Rio Rancho Public Schools of Rio Rancho, New Mexico have announced the completion of two solar arrays, one each at Cleveland and Rio Rancho High Schools; each array is approximately 1,200 kilowatts (kW). The arrays are expected to produce 4,650,000 total kilowatt-hours (kWh), enough electricity to cover roughly 80% of the two high school's annual power usage. Washington Gas Energy Systems owns and operates the arrays under a 20-year power purchase agreement, selling electricity to the school district at a lower rate than what the school district typically pays. The school district plans to redirect the saved funding toward other academic priorities and needs. For more information, please visit: http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/news/news_template.shtml?id=1872. *March 27-29: National Green Schools Conference, Sacramento, California http://greenschoolsnationalnetwork.org/conference/ EPA Region 7s Healthy Schools Toolkit Provides New Online Resources for School Professionals, Providers and the Public As schools across the country are returning to classes, EPA Region 7 is introducing a suite of new, free web-based resources designed to

help school administrators and service providers keep school buildings and facilities clean, green and healthy. EPA Region 7s Healthy Schools Toolkit, available online at www.epa.gov/region7/citizens/schools/toolkit.htm, consists of more than 50 educational and informational documents structured around 15 separate subject areas: Asbestos, Chemical Cleanout, Composting, Energy Star, Green Cleaning, Healthy Schools, School Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Lead, Mercury, Mold, PCBs, Radon, Rain Barrels, Rain Gardens and Recycling. Materials include PowerPoint presentations, fact sheets, brochures, flyers, and lists of helpful resources and contact information, all grouped by subject. The toolkit is part of EPA Region 7s Healthy Schools Initiative, which provides one-stop online access to programs and resources that can help prevent and resolve environmental issues in schools: www.epa.gov/region7/citizens/schools. School representatives with questions or comments about the new Healthy Schools Toolkit are urged to contact Kathleen Fenton, EPA Region 7s Healthy Schools Coordinator, at 913-551-7874, or fenton.kathleen@epa.gov. EPA's Children's Health Office Environmental Technical Training Below is a collection of training for Healthy Homes and Healthy Schools, and Child Care Facilities. National Healthy Homes Training: http://www.nchh.org/Training/National-Healthy-Homes-Training-Center.aspx. Healthy Child Care Information for Child Care Providers http://www2.epa.gov/childcare/healthy-child-care-information-child-care-providers. Healthy School Webinars: http://www.epa.gov/schools/webinars.html. Please note recordings from previous webinars are located on a few of these sites too. EPA Childcare website: http://www2.epa.gov/childcare. For more information, contact the EPA Regional Childrens Health Coordinators: http://www2.epa.gov/childcare/key-epa-contacts.

EPA New Sensible Steps Webinar Series November 19 3:00 p.m. Eastern - Sensible Steps for Mold and Moisture Control In Schools December 17 3:00 p.m. Eastern - Renovate Right: EPAs Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Program at Schools Participants will receive a certificate of completion for each webinar.

Other Community-Related Information & Events

*Energy Efficient Communities Can Compete for $5 Million Prize* As a nation, we have yet to fully tap into the enormous potential that energy efficiency offers to get more from existing resources, support increased resource productivity and economic growth, and enable individuals and entire communities to save money. The $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize is calling on all partiescommunity members, local government, and utilitiesto work together to reduce per capita energy use in a substantial and lasting way. Although only one community will win the $5 million prize, all participants will receive access to one-on-one technical assistance, annual workshops, case studies from other communities, tips for household energy conservation, opportunities to apply for seed grants, and direct engagement with federal policymakers. Interested community representatives can complete a Letter Of Intent and sign up for updates as the competition prepares to kick off in 2014. To find out if you live in one of the 8,892 U.S. communities eligible to compete, and to learn how the Georgetown University Energy Prize can help your community showcase its leadership, ingenuity, and commitment to improving energy efficiency, please visit www.guep.org. For regular updates on the Georgetown University

Energy Prize, follow the competition on Twitter at @GUEnergyPrize. Web Link: http://www.guep.org *Energy Department Announces Partnerships to Help Deploy Combined Heat and Power, Boost Industrial Efficiency* Underscoring President Obama's Climate Action Plan to cut harmful emissions and double energy efficiency, the Energy Department is taking action to develop the next generation of combined heat and power (CHP) technology and help local communities and businesses make costeffective investments that save money and energy. As part of this effort, the Department launched today seven new regional Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnerships across the country to help strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, lower energy consumption, and reduce harmful emissions. Click here to read the full story. *Training Opportunities with ENERGY STAR* Before heading out on vacation for turkey, pumpkin pie, and all your other Thanksgiving favorites, be sure to get yourself an extra helping of energy efficiency trainings! Join EPAs ENERGY STAR program for commercial buildings to learn about a wide range of topics, i ncluding energy competitions, benchmarking water use, leveraging the ENERGY STAR brand in communications, and using the new Portfolio Manager tool. To register for upcoming trainings, click the links below or visit esbuildings.webex.com. If you wont be able to attend, you can still view recorded trainings at this site (click View Event Recordings in the upper right-hand corner of the screen). If you have any questions, please contact estraining@icfi.com. *SunShot Announces $60 Million to Drive Affordable, Efficient Solar Power* Building on President Obamas broad-based plan to cut carbon pollution and support clean energy innovation across the country, the SunShot Initiative has announced $60 million to support innovative solar energy research and development. The awards will help lower the cost of solar electricity, advance seamless grid integration and support a growing U.S. solar workforce. Click here to learn more. *EPA Honors Freight Industry Leaders for Environmental Achievements* EPA is honoring 55 companies as industry leaders in supply chain environmental and energy efficiency with its 2013 SmartWay Excellence Awards. These awards go to companies that have demonstrated outstanding achievements in reducing carbon pollution and other harmful emissions as they move goods across the U.S. more efficiently. EPA launched the SmartWay partnership program in 2004 to help the freight industry improve environmental performance. Since then, SmartWay Partners have saved 65 million barrels of oil. This is equivalent to taking over 5 million cars off the road for an entire year. SmartWays clean air achievements (28 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, 478,000 tons nitrogen oxides, and 22,000 tons of particulate matter reduced) help to protect the health and well-being of citizens and provide for a more competitive business environment. More information on SmartWay: http://www.epa.gov/smartway/.List of Excellence Award recipients: http://www.epa.gov/smartway/partner-resources/awards.htm. *Energy Department Announces Winners of Housing Innovation Awards* The Energy Department announced winners of the first- ever Housing Innovation Awards, recognizing 46 diverse industry leaders bringing the best in energy efficient building technologies and design to new and older homes and helping households save money. The competition, coordinated by the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, offered rigorous application criteria within four building categories: DOE Challenge Home Builders, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Participating Contractors, Excellence in Building Science Educator of the Year, and Building America Top Innovations. The Housing Innovation Awards recognize leading builders, contractors, researchers, national laboratories, and building science organizations who are helping communities across the country save money and energy and are leading the way to affordable, comfortable, zero net-energy ready homes. The Housing Innovation Awards support the Energy Department's commitment to help harness American ingenuity to commercialize and deploy cutting-edge

technologies, as well as to promote improving the energy efficiency of the U.S. housing stock. Click here to read the full story. *DOT Awards University Transportation Centers $63 Million* The U.S. Department of Transportations (DOT) on September 26 announced approximately $63 million in grants to 33 University Transportation Centers to advance research and education programs that address critical transportation challenges. The selected universities will research a wide range of transportation-related issues including: improving health and safety for all users of the transportation system, including bicycles, pedestrians, and transit modes; reducing carbon emissions and other environmental impacts of transportation through a transition to zero-emission vehicles and fuels; and evaluating how increasingly autonomous vehicles affect driver behavior, safety, and performance. See the DOT press release and the list of grant recipients.

*Bicycle-Friendly Communities Announced*

The League of American Bicyclists recently announced its annual selection of Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC). Several suburban towns, including Menlo Park, California; Elmhurst, Illinois; and Ferguson, Missouri were chosen for the award, demonstrating that large urban centers aren't the only areas making biking better for millions of Americans. From the latest round of applications, the League chose 32 new BFCs, growing the overall number to 291 BFCs in 48 states. The BFC program provides cities and towns with a roadmap and know-how to make effective investments and take meaningful steps to increase bicycling in their communities. For more information, please visit:

http://www.bikeleague.org/content/suburbs-join-rise-bicycle-friendly-communities.
*Report: U.S. States Advancing Energy Efficiency* States have been essential to the progress the United States has made in using energy more efficiently, according to a new paper released on September 24 by the National Governors Association (NGA). States play a critical role in advancing energy efficiency and are supporting efforts to help consumers lower their energy costs, reduce state energy expenditures, defer the need for new power plant investments, strengthen system reliability, and reduce environmental impacts. According to the paper, governors have worked with legislators, regulators, and others to advance energy efficiency in a variety of ways. Examples of recent state actions include conducting energy planning to analyze potential energy savings and explore best practices, improving energy efficiency rules and standards for buildings and appliances, and using information technology to spur enhanced energy savings by consumers and businesses. See the NGA press release. EPA Honors 24 Organizations for Green Power Leadership The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency presented its 13th annual Green Power Leadership Awards to 21 Green Power Partners and three suppliers for their achievements in advancing the nations renewable electricity market. By using green power, communities, businesses and organizations can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support Americas growing renewable energy industry, improve public health, and help transition the United States to cleaner energy sources. The winning organizations are recognized for dramatically increasing their green power purchases, installing large-scale solar panel arrays, and leading innovative renewable energy procurement efforts, among other actions. To view the 2013 Green Power Leadership Award winners, visit: http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/winners.htm. *USDA Awards $14 million for Smart Grid Technology* The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on October 24 announced funding for rural electric utility system improvements, including more than $14.3 million to implement smart grid technology and nearly $11 million to improve electric service for Native Americans. In Georgia, the Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation will receive a $9.8 million loan guarantee for smart grid projects. And in New Mexico, the Sierra Electric Cooperative's $4.3 million loan guarantee includes $536,000 for smart grid projects. With this latest announcement, the

Obama Administration has invested $152 million in smart grid technologies nationwide during 2013. See the USDA press release. *New Book: Measuring Urban Design: Metrics for Livable Places* This new book provides researchers, designers, planners, and lay people with an empirically tested tool to measure the elusive qualities that make us want to take a stroll down a neighborhood street. The book contains illustrated, step-by-step instructions and a scoring sheet for easy calculation of urban design quality scores. Operational definitions are included, as well as measurement protocols for five intangible qualities of urban design: imagability, visual enclosure, human scale, transparency, and complexity. For more information, please visit: http://islandpress.org/ip/books/book/islandpress/M/bo8383101.html?utm_source=Ewing+MUD+5070%25+email+2013%2F10%2F24&utm_campaign=Author+Reid+Ewing+50-70+book+eblast&utm_medium=email. *Energy Department Invests $12 Million to Slash Red Tape and Speed Solar Deployment for Homes and Businesses* As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to ensure America's continued leadership in clean energy and double renewable electricity generation once again by 2020, the Energy Department today announced eight teams to spur solar power deployment by cutting red tape for residential and small commercial rooftop solar systems. Click here to read the full story, *Energy Department Announces Federal Energy and Water Management Awards* The Energy Department today recognized 25 winners across the federal government as recipients of the 2013 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. These annual awards highlight federal agencies' commitments to lead the nation in implementing efficiency measures to improve energy, water, and vehicle fleet management that save taxpayer money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Click here to read the full story. *Draft EPA Office of Water Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plan Released for Public Review and Comment* EPA has released its draft Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans for public review and comment, including the plan of the Office of Water. The implementation plans provide detailed information about the actions EPA plans to take to help communities adapt to a changing climate. The impacts of a changing climate, including increased extreme weather, floods, and droughts, affect EPA's work to protect clean air and water. The Draft EPA Climate Change Adaptation Implementation Plans recognize that EPA must integrate climate adaptation planning into its programs, policies, rules, and operations to ensure that the Agency's work continues to be effective even as the climate changes. The Office of Water's Plan provides an overview of the opportunities available within the EPA to respond to the challenges that a changing climate poses to protect the quality of national water resources and drinking water. The public comment period closes on January 3, 2014. For more information, visit the EPA Adaptation Implementation Plans page. *EPA Updates its Sustainable Design and Green Building Toolkit for Communities* Earlier this year, EPA released an updated version of its Sustainable Design and Green Building Toolkit for Local Governments (PDF), designed to help local governments identify and remove barriers to sustainable design and green building in existing codes and ordinances. The toolkit discusses codes and ordinances that would affect the design, construction, renovation, and operation and maintenance of a building and its immediate site. The toolkit includes an assessment tool and resource guide, along with a guide to developing an action plan for implementing changes within a communitys permitting process. *Energy Department Launches Alternative Fueling Station Locator App* As part of the Obama Administration's commitment to expand access to data and give consumers more transportation options that save money at the pump, the Energy Department today launched a new mobile app to help drivers find stations that provide alternative fuel for

vehicles. Click here to read the full story. USDA 2013 Food Assistance Programs to Benefit More Than 10.5 Million Worldwide The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that the fiscal year 2013 Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition allocations (see charts below) will benefit more than 10.5 million people worldwide. Under the programs, USDA purchases U.S. commodities and donates them to government agencies and private-voluntary organizations in targeted countries. Food for Progress recipients in developing countries and emerging democracies sell the commodities and use the funds to introduce and expand free enterprise in the agricultural sector. For example, a Food for Progress project in Mozambique supports dairy farmers' efforts to improve herd management practices, and increase both the volume and quality of milk. The project also helps dairy cooperatives collect, store, process, and market milk efficiently. This project benefits 27,000 agricultural producers and 3,000 businesses. The McGovern-Dole Program focuses on low-income, food-deficit countries that are committed to universal education. Participants either use or sell the donated U.S. commodities to support education, child development and food security. For example, in Kenya, more than 650,000 children in approximately 2,000 schools have been fed with help from the program. The commodities that USDA is donating include U.S.produced bulgur, corn, corn-soy blend, dehydrated potato flakes, lentils, pinto beans, rice, split yellow peas, sorghum, soybean meal, soybean oil, vegetable oil and wheat. The FY 2013 Food For Progress Allocations are listed in this link: http://www.usda.gov/documents/food-forprogress-chart.pdf. The FY 2013 McGovern-Dole Program Allocations are listed in this link: http://www.usda.gov/documents/mcgovern-dolechart.pdf. EPA Launches New Online Mapping Tool for Environmental Impact Statements The EPA launched an interactive web-based mapping tool that provides the public with access and information on Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) filed with EPA for major projects proposed on federal lands and other proposed federal actions. When visiting the website, users can click on any state for a list of EISs, including information about the potential environmental, social and economic impacts of these projects. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to consider the impacts of proposed actions, as well as any reasonable alternatives as part of their decision-making process. For proposed projects with potentially significant impacts, federal agencies prepare a detailed Environmental Impact Statement which is filed with EPA and made available for public review and comment. EPA is required to review and comment on Environmental Impact Statements prepared by other federal agencies. The user can click on a state in the map and is provided with comment letters submitted by the EPA on Environmental Impact Statements within the last 60 days. The tool also provides users with the information they need to identify projects with open comment periods, including how to submit comments. The tool supports EPAs commitment to utilize advanced information technologies that help increase transparency of its enforcement and compliance programs. EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance has recently launched the Next Generation Compliance initiat ive, designed to modernize its approach and drive improved compliance to reduce pollution. Learn more about the effort by visiting: http://blog.epa.gov/epaconnect/2013/08/nextgen/. To use EPAs EIS Mapper, please visit http://eismapper.epa.gov/. EPA Issues 2013/2014 Urban Waters Small Grants Requests for Proposals (RFP) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expects to award up to $1.6 million in funding for projects taking place in 18 Eligible Geographic Areas that protect and restore urban waters by improving water quality through activities that also support community revitalization and other local priorities. Small grant awards under this competition will range in the amount of approximately $40,000 to $60,000 in federal funding. The funding is part of EPA's Urban Waters program, and is one element of support EPA is providing to the goals of the multiagency Urban Waters Federal Partnership. This announcement provides support to the Partnership's place-based work, currently underway in 18 locations. The Eligible Geographic Areas can be found in illustrated in maps at the Urban Waters Small Grants program mapping website http://www2.epa.gov/urbanwaters/urban-waters-small-grants-mapping.The intent of this 2013/2014 RFP is to strengthen and diversify the work taking place in Eligible Geographic Areas to improve water quality and support community revitalization, with an emphasis on underserved

communities. EPA expects to award the grants in July 2014. Information about Urban Waters Small Grants including the Request for Proposal (RFP) and registration links for the webinar is available at http://www2.epa.gov/urbanwaters/urban-waters-small-grants. EPA Proposes Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed Clean Air Act standards to cut carbon pollution from new power plants in order to combat climate change and improve public health. In addition, EPA has initiated broad-based outreach and direct engagement with state, tribal, and local governments, industry and labor leaders, non-profits, and others to establish carbon pollution standards for existing power plants and build on state efforts to move toward a cleaner power sector. The proposal achieves the first milestone outlined in President Obama's June 25 Memorandum to EPA on "Power Sector Carbon Pollution Standards," a major part of the President's Climate Action Plan. The new proposed standards will ensure that new power plants are built with available clean technology to limit carbon pollution, a requirement that is in line with investments in clean energy technologies that are already being made in the power industry. Additionally, these standards provide flexibility by allowing sources to phase in the use of some of these technologies, and they ensure that the power plants of the future use cleaner energy technologies -- such as efficient natural gas, advanced coal technology, nuclear power, and renewable energy like wind and solar. For more information, please visit: http://www2.epa.gov/carbon-pollution-standards. For more information on President Obama's Climate Action Plan, please visit: www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/image/president27sclimateactionplan.pdf. To hear an audio message of the announcement from EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy: http://go.usa.gov/DUSG . Climate Change Tops Agenda of Iowa State Senator Take a look behind todays news headlines and youll see how many current events are rooted in climate change. Massive wildfires in California. Biblical rains in Colorado. Electrical fires traced back to Super Storm Sandy destroying the New Jersey boardwalk, again. And, as Iowa State Senator Rob Hogg further suggests, civil unrest in places like Egypt and Syria, where drought has caused food shortages leading to societal upheavals. Hogg, 46, is the Iowa State Senator from the 19th District. A Democrat, he served in the House from 2003 to 2007 and the Senate since 2007. Hogg grew up in Iowa and earned a law degree in Minnesota. He represents a portion of Cedar Rapids, an urban area in the eastern part of this mostly rural state. Situated on the banks of the Cedar River, his city has seen its share of natural disasters in recent years and it has affected him personally. For more information, please visit: http://www.sustainablecitynetwork.com/topic_channels/environmental/article_6a0cf2e6-2618-11e3-aea1-001a4bcf6878.html. Decision Issued on Missouris Water Quality Standards EPA has approved the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) new and revised recreational use designations for 102 water bodies and disapproved MDNRs designations for 41 water bodies. These designated uses protect Missouris waters for purposes of recreational activities. States must assign fishable and swimmable uses to their waters unless science-based studies show that these uses cannot be attained. The disapprovals occurred when the studies did not show that lowering the use was appropriate. MDNR submitted these new and revised water quality standards to EPA for review and approval, as required by the Clean Water Act (CWA). The state based its recommendations on site-specific field data gathered from streams and rivers across Missouri. The CWA assigns EPA the duty to oversee state-agency actions to protect water quality. In partnership with MDNR, EPA works with the public, community leaders, and local and state agencies to meet the growing demands placed on our water resources. EPAs Sept. 27, 2013, decision letter provides a more det ailed description of EPAs review and the basis for this action. The decision letter is available at www.epa.gov/region7/newsevents/legal. Energy Department Launches Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines Project The Energy Department today announced the Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines project to improve the quality and consistency of commercial building workforce training and certification programs for five key energy-related jobs: Energy Auditor, Commissioning Professional, Building/Stationary Engineer, Facility Manager, and Energy Manager.

For more information, please visit: http://energy.gov/eere/articles/energy-department-launches-better-buildings-workforce-guidelinesproject?utm_source=PA934&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ProgressAlerts. National Science Foundation Taps K-State to Lead New Wheat Research Center The National Science Foundation (NSF) has named Kansas State University as its lead institution for the worlds first Industry/University Cooperative Research Center on wheat. This center is the first NSF-established center for any crop plant, though others exist for engineering and electronics projects. It will focus on improving food production and disease resistance in wheat in addition to training wheat scientists. The center will be split between K-State and Colorado State University, with Dr. Bikram Gill, K-States distinguished professor of plant pathology and director of the universitys Wheat Genetics Research Center, will serve as the director of the NSF center. For more information, please visit: http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/aug13/nsfplant81913.html. Energy Department Report Calculates Emissions and Costs of Power Plant Cycling Necessary for Increased Wind and Solar in the West A new report released today by the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) examines the potential impacts of increasing wind and solar power generation on the operators of coal and gas plants in the West. To accommodate higher amounts of wind and solar power on the electric grid, utilities must ramp down and ramp up or stop and start conventional generators more frequently to provide reliable power for their customersa practice called cycling. For more information, please visit: http://energy.gov/eere/articles/energydepartment-report-calculates-emissions-and-costs-power-plant-cyclingnecessary?utm_source=PA930&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ProgressAlerts. USDA Awards $15 Million for Advanced Biofuels The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on September 12 that it is making more than $15 million in investments to support the production of advanced biofuel. USDA is funding 188 producers through the Advanced Biofuel Payment Program. For example, Riverview, LLP, a Minnesota-based company, will use a payment to support a project that produces electricity from two anaerobic digesters which use manure from two of the company's dairy operations to produce electricity. During the last quarter of 2012, the anaerobic digesters produced almost 4.9 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power more than 400 homes a year. And American Biodiesel, Inc. in California will receive payment for its quarterly production of biodiesel from a variety of sources, including canola and soybean oil. The biodiesel reduces emissions and is primarily used as an alternative to diesel fuel. See the USDA press release: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2013/09/0177.xml&navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_ RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent. Energy Department Receives EPA Award for Top Green Power Purchase The Energy Department announced today that it has received a 2013 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual awards recognize the country's leading green power consumers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance the development of the nation's voluntary green power market. For more information, please visit: http://energy.gov/eere/articles/energy-department-receives-epa-award-top-green-powerpurchase?utm_source=PA931&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ProgressAlerts. What Does the 'Energy Star' Mean? With the average American household spending more than $2,000 annually on the cost of energy and, at the same time, emitting more than 20,000 pounds of greenhouse gases as a result of its energy usage, its no wonder weve started trying to find better ways to power our homes and clean up our climate. The Energy Star label has become synonymous with the energy efficiency movement, but what really makes

something worthy of the star? Products can earn the Energy Star label by meeting certain specifications decided upon by the EPA based on these general guidelines: Use of the product must result in significant energy savings. The product should perform to the standards of consumers, in addition to increased energy efficiency. For more information, please visit: http://ewkc-365.ascendeventmedia.com/highlight.aspx?p=445&id=6110. USDA Announces Availability of Funding to Develop Advanced Biofuels Projects Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the availability of $181 million to develop commercial-scale biorefineries or retrofit existing facilities with appropriate technology to develop advanced biofuels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. The Biorefinery Assistance Program was created through the 2008 Farm Bill and is administered by USDA Rural Development. It provides loan guarantees to viable commercial-scale facilities to develop new and emerging technologies for advanced biofuels. Eligible entities include Indian tribes, State or local governments, corporations, farmer coops, agricultural producer associations, higher education institutions, rural electric co-ops, public power entities or consortiums of any of the above. Applications for biorefinery assistance are due by January 30, 2014. More information about how to apply is available in the October 2, 2013 Federal Register announcement or by contacting the USDA Rural Development National Office. NOAA's Teacher at Sea Program Accepting Applications for 2014 Field Season Applications Due November 18 The mission of NOAAs Teacher at Sea program is to provide teachers a hands-on, research experience at sea, giving them unique insight into oceanographic, hydrographic, and fisheries research by facilitating partnerships between educators and world-renowned NOAA Scientists. Since 1990, NOAAs Teacher at Sea Program has enabled over 600 teachers to gain first-hand experience of science and life at sea by working on research ships. Teachers have enriched their classroom curricula with a depth of understanding made possible by living and working side-by-side, day and night, with those who contribute to the world's body of scientific knowledge. The application deadline, including letters of recommendation is Monday, November 18, 2013, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. To apply, please visit: http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/about/how_to_apply.html. For further information and to preview a sample application: http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/. Energy Department and Georgetown University to Accelerate Energy Efficiency in Local Communities The Energy Department and Georgetown University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement today to collaborate on the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a competition to encourage innovative, replicable, and scalable approaches to reducing energy use in communities across the United States. For more information, please visit: http://www.guep.org/. American Institute of Architects Sustainable Design Assessment Teams Requests for Proposals Proposal Due Date: November 22, 2013 AIA's Center for Communities by Design has announced a Request for Proposals for the 2014 Sustainable Design Assessment Team. Selected communities will receive personalized sustainability assistance, and will be visited by a team of architects and other design professionals. The team will work in conjunction with local stakeholders to help shape the community's strategy to increase sustainability. For more information, please visit: http://www.aia.org/about/initiatives/AIAS075425. Energy Department Dedicates Clean Energy Research Center The Energy Department on September 11 dedicated the nations first major research facility focused on clean energy grid integ ration and wide-scale deployment. Located on the campus of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the new Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) will help manufacturers, utilities, and public and private sector researchers overcome the challenges of integrating clean energy

and energy efficiency technologies into today's energy infrastructure. President Obama has set a goal to double renewable electricity generation once again by 2020. Seamless and efficient grid integration will help meet this ambitious target and make clean energy technologies even more affordable. To that end, ESIF will tackle generation, transmission, distribution, and end-use challenges to advance renewable energy, electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, microgrids, and next-generation building technologies. For more information, please visit: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/news_detail.html?news_id=19609. Eastern U.S. Water Supplies Threatened by a Legacy of Acid Rain - Acid Breaks Down Carbonate Rock that Makes Rivers More Alkaline Human activities are changing the water chemistry of many streams and rivers in the Eastern U.S., with consequences for water supplies and aquatic life, so reports a new study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. In the first survey of its kind, researchers looked at long-term alkalinity trends in 97 streams and rivers from Florida to New Hampshire. Sites ranged from small headwater streams to some of the nation's largest rivers. Over the past 25 to 60 years, two-thirds have become significantly more alkaline. Alkalinity is a measure of waters ability to neutralize acid. In excess, it can cause ammonia toxicity and algal blooms, altering water quality and harming aquatic life. Increasing alkalinity hardens drinking water, causing pipe scaling and costly infrastructure problems. And, perhaps most alarming, it exacerbates the salinization of fresh water. For more information, please visit: http://www.sustainablecitynetwork.com/topic_channels/environmental/article_5589ada0-1fc9-11e3-9908-001a4bcf6878.html. Healthy Homes Maintenance Checklist The National Center for Healthy Housing developed a healthy homes maintenance checklist that can be followed to reduce allergens, prevent illness and reduce injuries in and around the home. The checklist recommends seasonal times to focus on home maintenance. For example, in the fall it is recommended to address yard and exterior items such as cleaning gutters and downspouts, cleaning window wells and checking drainage, draining outdoor faucets and hoses and checking for signs of rodents, bats, roaches and termites. It is also time to ensure that check dryer vents and exhaust ducts are clear. For more information see http://www.nchh.org/Portals/0/Contents/Maintenance_Checklist2009.pdf. EPA Releases Smart Location Database 2.0 EPAs Smart Growth Program has released its Smart Location Database version 2.0. The database is a consistent nationwide GIS data resource for measuring location efficiency. The Smart Location Database may be appropriate for use in local and regional planning studies when local data is unavailable. The database includes over 90 variables characterizing the built environment, transit service, destination accessibility, employment, and demographics at the census block group scale. Users can download data for their selected region, view data online in an interactive map, or access data through a variety of web services. For more information, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smartlocationdatabase.htm.

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Report Ranks U.S. Cities' Efforts to Save Energy The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released the 2013 City Energy Efficiency Scorecard, a report that ranks 34 of the most populous U.S. cities on policies to advance energy efficiency. The report includes recommendations and strategies for all cities to lower energy use. ACEEE also launched a new interactive infographic accompanying the report that highlights each city's best practices and scores. The report is the first to rank cities exclusively on energy efficiency efforts. Cities are evaluated on what actions they are taking to reduce energy use in five key areas: buildings; transportation; energy and water utility efforts; local government operations; and communitywide initiatives. To read the report and view the infographic, visit ACEEEs website: http://aceee.org/local-policy/city-scorecard.

U.S. Department of Energy and Georgetown University Announce Competition for Energy Efficiency in Local Communities The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Georgetown University announced the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a competition to encourage innovative, replicable, and scalable approaches to reducing energy use in communities across the United States. Aimed at increasing the number of municipalities, utilities, and individuals working to save energy in their homes and communities, the competition supports President Obama's Climate Action Plan of pursuing greater energy efficiency that reduces greenhouse gases and saves consumers money. Beginning in February 2014, municipalities will be eligible to compete for the prize by reducing their energy use. Participating communities must develop a long-term energy efficiency plan and demonstrate initial effectiveness and sustainability during a two-year period. Participating communities will benefit from access to financial and technical resources and the winning community will receive $5 million provided by private sponsors, which will help to support their continuing community-based energy efficiency efforts. Interested communities are encouraged to submit a non-binding letter of intent as soon as possible. For more information, please visit: http://www.guep.org/letter-ofintent. USDA Specialty Crop Block Grants Create New Economic Opportunities and Grow Markets in Local Communities Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that USDA will invest $52 million in grants to support America's specialty crop producers through the 2013 Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) Program awards. The funding includes 54 block grants to U.S. states and territories that will support 694 initiatives nationwide. These grants will assist producers of fresh fruits and vegetables and help strengthen markets for specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture. Visit www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp to read the 2013 project summaries and view a list of awards by location. U.S. Manufacturers Save $1 Billion, 11 Million Tons of CO2 through Energy Efficiency Investments Underscoring the Obama Administration's efforts to double energy productivity by 2030 and help businesses save money and energy, the Energy Department today recognized more than 120 manufacturers that are making smart investments to save on energy costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve their bottom lines. For more information, please visit: http://energy.gov/articles/us-manufacturerssave-1-billion-11-million-tons-co2-through-energy-efficiencyinvestments?utm_source=PA932&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ProgressAlerts. USDA Awards $5 Million for Smart Grid The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on September 12 announced more than $136 million in loan guarantees to build more than 2,200 miles of electric transmission line, including more than $5 million in smart grid projects and nearly $3 million to improve electric service for Native Americans. The loan guarantees are made available through the USDA Rural Development program. For example, in Minnesota, Rural Development will finance nearly $16 million in loan guarantees to build more than 200 miles of electricity transmission line and finance more than $1.7 million in smart grid technologies for two projects. And Wyoming's High Plains Power will use nearly $1.4 million of its loan for smart grid projects and $2.4 million for service to Native Americans. See the USDA press release at: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2013/09/0178.xml&navid=NEWS_RELEASE&navtype=RT&parentnav=LATEST_ RELEASES&edeployment_action=retrievecontent. New Book: The Guide to Greening Cities As cities continue to face climate-change impacts while growing in population, they find themselves at the center of resilience and green-city solutions, yet political and budgetary obstacles threaten even the best-planned initiatives. In The Guide to Greening Cities, green city leaders Sadhu Johnston, Steven Nicholas, and Julia Parzen use success stories from across North America to show how to turn a green city agenda into reality. For more information, visit: http://guidetogreeningcities.org/index.

Greening Your Electronics- Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool Can Help Computers have transformed our lives at home and in our workplaces, but they've also introduced a dizzying array of difficult decisions. From the non-recycled plastic of a copier to the mercury in a battery, tradeoffs come with each electronic device. How do you make good choices? How do you reward manufacturers who support your values, and avoid those that don't? At the 6th annual Growing Sustainable Communities Conference held recently in Dubuque, Iowa, Sarah O'Brien of the Green Electronics Council made a case for the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), a registry and certification tool to help purchasers reduce uncertainty, compare apples to apples, and spend their money on sustainable products. O'Brien, director of stakeholder engagement for the council, was a purchasing agent for large healthcare organizations when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tapped her and a number of others to help provide a tool for those who wanted to buy more environmentally sound products. For more information, please visit: http://www.sustainablecitynetwork.com/topic_channels/solid_waste/article_91f07994-3131-11e3-b674001a4bcf6878.html?utm_source=SCN+InBox+e-Newsletter&utm_campaign=a4d67caa15-Newsletter_10-92013_Admin&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_11e7ac761c-a4d67caa15-188541149 This digest is being provided by EPA Region 7 for informational purposes only. This digest contains links to information, agencies, sites, and organizations outside of the EPA website. EPA is not responsible for third party links. EPA does not endorse third party organizations or agencies.