N e w s l e t t er

January 2023

EFC LAUNCHES WALKABLE WATERSHEDS INITIATIVE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

EFC, in partnership with Skeo, Defensores de la Cuenca, and Hirschman Water & Environment, has received funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Small Watershed Grant program to develop a Walkable Watershed (WW) Plan for the Port Towns in Prince George's County. 

The Walkable Watershed Initiative provides a community-based, green infrastructure planning tool to address flooding and resilience in the context of revitalization planning. This integrated planning approach links environmental and social equity goals and helps local communities leverage more resources, work more efficiently to find new solutions, and increases the likelihood of success by acting on multiple fronts simultaneously. The WW approach considers connectivity, watershed health, and ecological stewardship at a community-wide scale. We will be engaging community members and partners to work together to protect the watershed while also supporting other community goals such as improved connectivity and access, safe routes, vibrant open space, and outdoor amenities. The project will result in a watershed concept and green infrastructure-focused action plan as well as the installation of a large-scale stormwater management project.

The project kicks off in February with the formation of two stakeholder groups. If you live, work, or own a business in Bladensburg, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, or Edmonston and would like to participate in a stakeholder group, please contact Michelle Kokolis at EFC (mkokolis@umd.edu).

3RD CITY OF GAITHERSBURG SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT FOR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, JANUARY 26

Join the City of Gaithersburg and Sustainable Maryland to learn more about how your Gaithersburg HOA can organize itself to become a more sustainable community. Hear from Green Teams in the City about their efforts to address stormwater management; become more energy efficient; create safer streets; foster greater community engagement, and more!

Date: Thursday, Jan. 26

Time: 6:30-8:30pm

Location: Zoom

Join us for this FREE online event!

REGISTER

WE'RE HIRING!

The EFC is hiring a new Program Manager to assist the Center in delivering targeted technical assistance to local governments, states, tribes, and non-governmental organizations in EPA Region 3 to protect public health, safeguard the environment, and advance environmental justice.

The primary responsibilities of this position will include providing program administration, management, and development; conducting community outreach and education; delivering direct education, training, and technical and financial assistance; performing program and policy analysis; and generally supporting EFC’s overall work plan. This is a five-year grant funded position, with opportunity for extension depending on available funding.

Click here for more information.

PEPCO/SUSTAINABLE MARYLAND AWARD $125K IN GRANTS IN DC, MONTGOMERY, AND PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Earlier this month Pepco and EFC's Sustainable Maryland program awarded eleven Environmental Stewardship and Community Resiliency grants totaling $125,000 to the following municipalities and nonprofits at an event held at the Pepco Edison Gallery in Washington, DC:

Environmental Stewardship

Prince George's County:

• Joe's Emporium ($10,000) – Story of Water and Art
• City of Mount Rainier ($10,000) – Mount Rainier Community Garden
• City of College Park ($10,000) – Roanoke Place Park
• Town of Fairmount Heights ($10,000) – K Street-Market Circle Alley Enhancement

Washington, DC:

• Friends of the National Arboretum ($10,000) – Expansion of Washington Youth Garden
• Tenleytown Main Street ($10,000) – Building Resiliency through Green Infrastructure
• My Seniors Keeper ($5,000) – H2H Conservation and Engagement Pavillion

Montgomery County:

• City of Takoma Park ($10,000) – Circle Woods Restoration

Community Resiliency

Prince George's County:

• Prince George's County Parks and Recreation Foundation ($25,000) – Project Safety variable message sign
• Town of Upper Marlboro ($5,000) – Electrical Resilience Emergency Response and Operations

Washington, DC:

• Penn Branch Community Association ($20,000) – Penn Branch Bouncing Back - Being Safe and Prepared

Click here for more information about the Sustainable Communities grants and the 2022 grantees. Stay tuned for the 2023 Sustainable Communities grant announcement.

NICK DIPASQUALE

November 7, 1951 - November 24, 2022

EFC notes the passing of Nick DiPasquale, a champion of the Chesapeake Bay and a friend of the Environmental Finance Center. Nick's role as the Director of EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office from 2011 to his retirement was marked by his leadership in orchestrating and laying the groundwork for a first-time collaboration between multiple states and stakeholders, which has been critical to the success of the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement. This agreement is one of the most successful cross-state/federal regulatory agreements in environmental protection in the United States.

Click here for more information about Nick's life and contributions to protecting the environment.

Consider.

 "“We are continuing the long-term warming trend of the planet,”."

-Zeke Hausfather, a researcher at Berkeley Earth, an independent organization that analyzes environmental data, on the news that the last eight years were the hottest on record for the planet