Thursday, May 5, 2011

Green Streets-Green Jobs Program

Maryland Department of the Environment has announced the first-ever grant recipients of the collaborative Green Streets-Green Jobs Initiative, a program designed to promote green streets, urban green infrastructure, and green jobs as part of an overall community or watershed plan.

In total, 10 cities and towns were awarded $25,000-$35,000 grants to fund the planning and design of green infrastructure projects within the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia watersheds. This announcement was made at the start of the EPA’s Green Streets-Green Jobs Forum, a two-day event in support of innovative, green infrastructure practices to restore urban waters, promote renewable energy and protect public health and safety.

The Green Streets-Green Jobs awardees include: Baltimore City, College Park, University Park, Capitol Heights, Bladensburg, Edmonston, Mount Rainier, Hyattsville, Cottage City and Colmar Manor.

The Green Streets-Green Jobs Initiative is administered through the Trust’s Watershed Assistance Grant Program

A “green street” is a street that:

1) minimizes impact through an approach that incorporates water quality, energy-efficiency, and other environmental best practices

2) integrates a system of stormwater management to increase infiltration and/or reduce flow

3) reduces the amount of water that is piped directly into streams

4) makes the best use of the street tree canopy for stormwater interception, temperature mitigation and air quality improvement

5) encourages pedestrian and/or bicycle access

6) provides an aesthetic advantage to a community.

source: Chesapeake Bay Trust

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