{"id":140812022,"date":"2009-06-18T18:27:02","date_gmt":"2009-06-18T18:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=140812022"},"modified":"2009-06-18T18:27:02","modified_gmt":"2009-06-18T18:27:02","slug":"epa-offers-10m-for-climate-change-showcase-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=140812022","title":{"rendered":"EPA Offers $10M for Climate Change Showcase Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nWASHINGTON<\/span><\/span><\/b>, DC<\/span><\/span><\/b>, June 15,
\n2009 (ENS) – For the first time, the U.S. EPA is opening a competitive grant
\nprogram for local and tribal governments that want to establish and implement
\nclimate change initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their
\ncommunities. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A total of $10 million
\nwill be distributed next January in Climate Showcase Communities grants. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“Ending climate
\nchange and moving to a sustainable, clean energy future begins on the ground in
\nour communities,\u201d said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, announcing the new
\ngrants program today. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“We’re offering a
\nhelping hand to local areas that are leading the way in confronting climate
\nchange, and a call to action for anyone concerned about making a difference
\nwhere they live,” she said. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The EPA is requesting
\nproposals from local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribal
\ngovernments, and inter-tribal consortia to create replicable models of
\nsustainable community action, generate cost-effective greenhouse gas
\nreductions, and improve the environmental, economic, public health, and social
\nconditions in a community. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The agency expects to
\naward about 30 cooperative agreements, each one ranging from $100,000 to
\n$500,000. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Approximately five
\npercent of the funds, or about $500,000, is being set aside for tribal
\ngovernments. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A 50 percent cost-share
\nis required for recipients, with the exception of tribal governments and
\nintertribal consortia, which are exempt from matching requirements under this
\ngrant. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“We can cut energy
\ncosts and reduce harmful emissions at the local level, and build a model for
\nfighting climate change in every community,”
\n Jackson said. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Climate Showcase
\nCommunities grant program aims to create models of sustainable community action
\nthat generate cost-effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions while
\nimproving the environmental, economic, public health, or social conditions in a
\ncommunity. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

\"image\"<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n
Knoxville<\/span><\/span><\/b> ,
\n Tennessee Mayor Bill Haslam and Susan
\n Edwards of the Knoxville
\n Utilities Board celebrate the purchase of 400 blocks of renewable energy.
\n April 30, 2009. (Photo courtesy
\n City of Knoxville )<\/span><\/span>
\n <\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

During the grant
\nprogram, EPA will offer training and technical support to grant recipients, and
\nshare best practices and lessons learned with communities across the country. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The idea for that
\nClimate Showcase Communities grants originated with a national coalition of
\ncities and counties known as Climate Communities. The coalition is managed by
\nThe Ferguson Group, a Washington, DC, government affairs firm focused on
\neducating federal policymakers about the essential role of local governments in
\naddressing climate change and promoting a strong local-federal partnership to
\nreduce greenhouse gas emissions. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Climate Communities
\nworked with Congressman Norm Dicks, a Washington Democrat who chairs the House
\nInterior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, to create the Climate
\nShowcase Communities initiative through the Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations
\nBill. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

That legislation
\nauthorized EPA to administer the $10 million competitive grant program to help
\nlocal and tribal governments accomplish their climate change goals. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Climate Communities
\ntakes the position that local governments are uniquely suited to implement job
\ncreating programs and projects that will reduce energy consumption in
\ncommercial and residential buildings and in the transportation sector by
\nimproving transit and reducing vehicle miles traveled. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Another advocate for
\nlocal government action to protect the climate is ICLEI, Local Governments for
\nSustainability, which has started a Climate Resilient Communities program that
\ngrant applicants can look to for inspiration. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The city of
\n Santa Cruz , California ,
\nfor instance, is studying ways to buffer the river levee, counter coastal
\nerosion and remap flood zones to deal with climate-related sea level rise. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Florida<\/span><\/span>‘s
\n Miami-Dade
\n County has formed a Climate Change
\nAdvisory Task Force task force that is developing new standards for buildings,
\nroads, ports, airports and bridges to deal with sea level rise, sal*censored*er intrusion
\nand severe weather. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In an effort to prepare
\nfor rising sea levels, temperatures and air pollution associated with climate
\nchange, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission now
\nfactors in climate change impacts when considering developments in the region. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

New York City<\/span><\/span> is
\nplanning to create an inventory of tunnels, airports, subways and other at-risk
\ninfrastructure. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The state of
\n Alaska is investigating
\nhow to protect or relocate villages at risk from erosion caused by melting permafrost,
\nwave surges or flooding associated with climate change. Newtok, Shismaref,
\nKivalina, and Shaktoolik are a few of the Native Alaskan villages at risk. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And at least five
\nstates \u2013 Alaska , California ,
\n Maryland , Oregon
\nand Washington
\n\u2013 are working on statewide climate preparedness plans. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Climate Showcase
\nCommunities grant program is administered by EPA’s Local Climate and Energy
\nProgram. Click here<\/a> for additional grant information and an application
\nform. Climate Showcase Communities grant proposals are due by July 22, 2009, at
\n4:00 pm EDT. Grants are expected to be awarded in January 2010. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Copyright Environment News
\nService (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.<\/a><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

oldId.20090618182702545<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC, June 15, 2009 (ENS) – For the first time, the U.S. EPA is opening a competitive grant program for local and tribal governments that want to establish and implement climate change initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their communities. A total of $10 million will be distributed next January in Climate Showcase … <\/p>\n

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