EPA Region 7

Communities Information Digest

August 5, 2016
Welcome to the latest EPA Region 7 Digest!
EPA Region 7s Communities Information
Digest provides communities with the latest
news about funding and technical assistance
opportunities, webinars, conferences, and
other activities related to human health and
the environment.

National Farmers Market Week

August 7-13

An * indicates a new item.

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Headlines
Funding and Technical Assistance
Opportunities
Meetings, Conferences, Training, & Events
Webinars and Conference Calls
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USDA Agriculture Secretary signed a

proclamation declaring Aug. 7-13, 2016,
as "National Farmers Market Week!

Avoid getting bitten this summer

Always follow label directions when using
insect repellants and pesticides. At home,
remove places where bugs can live and
breed.
For more tips:
https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/tipsprevent-mosquito-bites

Headlines
National
*EPA Determines that Aircraft Emissions Contribute to Climate Change Endangering
Public Health and the Environment
EPA finalized a determination under the Clean Air Act that greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions from certain types of aircraft engines contribute to pollution that causes climate
change and endangers Americans health and the environment.

*EPA Issues Final Rule to Protect the Public from Exposure to Formaldehyde
EPA moves to reduce exposure to formaldehyde vapors from certain wood products
produced domestically or imported into the United States.
*Cement Manufacturer Cemex to Reduce Harmful Air Pollution from Five Plants
under Settlement with EPA and Justice Department
EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with Cemex, Inc., under
which the company will invest approximately $10 million to cut emissions of harmful air
pollution at five of its cement manufacturing plants in Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Texas to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act.
Available for Public Comment: Draft Guidance for Conducting Fish Consumption
Surveys
The draft guidance updates the Guidance for Conducting Fish and Wildlife Consumption
Surveys (1998). EPA has revised this guidance in an effort to assist states, tribes, local
governments, and others with the design, conduct, and analysis of surveys focused on
characterizing contemporary consumption of finfish and shellfish. Comments due
September 13.
*New Tool: NOAA's newly updated Climate Explorer
This tool offers downloadable maps, graphs, and data tables of observed and projected
temperature, precipitation and related climate variables from 1950 to 2100.

Region 7 News
*Iowa Regulators Open Door to More Net Metering
The Iowa Utilities Board ruled that the state's two major utilities, MidAmerican and Alliant
Energy, must increase their net metering cap from 500 kW to 1 MW. The new tariffs will
have to make net metering available to all classes of customers but will change some rules
for compensation.
*EPA and Vita Craft of Shawnee, KS, Settlement to Achieve Zero Emissions of the
Hazardous Air Pollutant PCE
As part of a settlement with EPA, Vita Craft Corporation of Shawnee, KS will install
equipment to completely eliminate emissions of the hazardous air pollutant
perchloroethylene (PCE) from its facility, which is beyond what the company is required to
do by law.
*EPA Order to Protect Homes in Washington, MO from Potentially Harmful Chemical
Vapors in Groundwater
EPA Region 7 estimates as many as 25 homes in a neighborhood of central Washington,
MO could ultimately have free protective vapor mitigation systems installed, under terms of
an order issued to SV Land, LLC, the owner of a former manufacturing property where
industrial chemical solvents have polluted soil and shallow groundwater.

Other Community-Related News

*Creating 21st Century Communities: Making the Economic Case for Place
The Michigan Municipal League (MML) identified eight assets that communities need to
grow and strengthen to prosper in coming years. MML hired Public Sector Consultants

(PSC) to evaluate the relationship between these eight assets and economic growth
indicators, and found significant research connecting these assets to economic prosperity.
*CDFA Releases Report for City of Bedford Heights, OH
The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) released the Roadmap to
Redevelopment report prepared for the City of Bedford Heights, OH. Project Response
Team site visits are available through CDFA's Brownfields Technical Assistance Program,
funded by the U.S. EPA.
*Clean, State-of-the-Technology Buses to Hit the Streets
The Federal Transit Administration is overseeing an annual grants program with dedicated
funding for new technology buses, the Low or No-Emission (Low-No) Bus Competitive
Grant Program.
*EPA and NIEHS Award $28 Million to Fund Childrens Centers
EPA announced almost $28 million in joint funding with the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to five Childrens Environmental Health and
Disease Prevention Research Centers to promote health and well-being in communities
where children live, learn and play.
*HUD to Protect Families from Lead, Other Home Hazards
To protect children and families from the hazards of lead-based paint and from other home
health and safety hazards, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
awarded Lead Based Paint Hazard Control grants to local and state government agencies.
*Agriculture Secretary Announces Substance Misuse Prevention Resources for Low
Income Pregnant Women and Mothers to Battle Opioid Epidemic
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urged all State Health Officers to use the resources and
opportunities provided through their Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies in their substance misuse prevention efforts.
*Blog post: EPA Leads New Effort to Improve America's Aging Infrastructure
Safe drinking water and effective wastewater management are basic building blocks of
public health. For years our nation's investments in water and wastewater infrastructure
weren't keeping up with the needs - which EPA estimates at $655 billion over the next
20 years. To fix the problem, we'll not only need innovative financing to leverage more
investment, but we'll also need to help these communities build capacity - so they can
sustainably manage and operate their water systems, get access to those funds, and
put them to good use.
Back to Top

Funding & Technical Assistance Opportunities

EPA FY2017 Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grant August 10

*EPA Seeks Contractors for Smart Growth Planning Initiatives on Local Foods,
Broadband, and Healthcare & Sustainable Communities August 10
*Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods Competition Notice of Intent to
Apply: August 11
Deadline to Submit Applications: September 6
*Trustees Emeritus Award for Historic Site Stewardship August 15
NOAA Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants Program August 16
The Big Jump Project Letters of Intent due: August 18
BIA Program to Identify and Address Tribal Climate Change Science Needs August
19
Tribal Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program August 23
Americas Promise Job Driven Grant Program August 25
Vehicle Technologies Multi-Topic Funding Opportunity August 29
Mid-America Regional Council Solid Waste Management District grant August 31
*Campus RainWorks Challenge Registration September 1-30
*Submissions due December 16
*NEA Our Town Creative Placemaking Grants September 12
HUD Rural Capacity Building (RCB) Program September 13
USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Agriculture and Natural Resources
Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area Letters of Intent due:
September 14
*Applications for Climate Leadership Awards September 26
EPA National Wetland Condition Assessment Campus Research Challenge
September 30
*Build Healthy, Resilient Coastal Communities October 5
*PeopleForBikes Community Grant Program October 7
Asthma Empowerment Collaborations to Reduce Childhood Asthma Disparities
Letters of Intent: October 16, Applications due: November 16

Ongoing Opportunities
Tribal Climate Change Funding Guide Regularly updated grants and programs

EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Program

USDA Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Contact Local USDA Service
Center
Apply for a Fruit Tree Planting Foundation Orchard in Your Community
American Planning Association Community Planning Assistance Teams
Climate Solutions University Adaptation Plan Assistance
Back to Top

Meetings, Conferences, & Events

Kansas Environmental Conference August 9-11, Hutchinson, KS
North American Symposium on Climate Adaptation August 16-18, New York, NY
*Free EPA Brownfields Grant Proposal Writing Strategies Workshop August 17,
Jefferson City, MO
Civil Society Consultation on Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for Human Rights
August 17, Washington, DC
2016 International Open Streets Summit August 18-21, Portland, OR
StormCom: The Surface Water Quality Conference and Expo August 22-25,
Indianapolis, IN
US Fish and Wildlife Service: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment August 2325, Shepherdstown, WV
National Nonpoint Source Monitoring Workshop August 23-25, Salt Lake City, UT
National Working Summit on Transportation in Rural America September 7-9,
Denver, CO
2016 Missouri Recycling Association (MORA) Recycling Conference September 1214, St. Louis, MO
Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place September 12-15, Vancouver, BC
Placemaking Week September 12-18, Vancouver, B.C.

Institute for Tribal Environmental Partners (ITEP) Training: Climate Change

Adaptation Planning September 13-15, Nebraska City, NE
International Economic Development Council Annual Conference September 25-28,
Cleveland, Ohio
National Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference September 28-30, Baltimore,
MD
EPA Region 6 Annual Stormwater Conference October 2-6, Oklahoma City, OK
Growing Sustainable Communities Annual Conference October 4-5, Dubuque, IA
2016 AARP Livable Communities National Conference October 17- 19, Chicago, IL
Green Business Engagement National Network Summit October 19-20, St. Louis,
MO
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Conference October 19-21, Washington, D.C.
National Training Conference on the Toxics Release Inventory and Environmental
Conditions in Communities October 19-21, Washington, D.C.
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Exposition October 29November 2, Denver, CO
CitiesAlive: 14th Annual Green Roof and Wall Conference November 1-4,
Washington, D.C.
New Partners for Smart Growth Conference February 2-4, 2017, St. Louis, MO
2017 National Brownfields Training Conference December 5-7, 2017, Pittsburg, PA
Back to Top

Webinars and Conference Calls

Plastics Recycling Works: Facts and Figures to Support a Thriving Industry
August 9, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
This webinar will provide an overview of the environmental benefits of recycling, market
trends, brand owner sustainability goals, and future areas of growth in the plastics
recycling industry.
*Coastal Community Resilience Research-Practice Grants Webinar August 11,
10:30-11:30 a.m. CST
Join us for an hour-long presentation and Q&A session to learn more about a new, $10
million funding opportunity from the Gulf Research Program. This funding opportunity is

designed to support scientifically-sound research and practice projects that will develop
and test information and strategies that can be used by communities to enhance their
resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change, severe weather, and major
environmental disasters, in ways that improve well-being.
*Federal Agencies Convening for Environmental Justice: Connecting Communities
to Green Space, Healthcare and Jobs August 11, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
This webinar will provide an introduction to the Environmental Justice Interagency
Working Group established in 1994 under Executive Order 12898 and chaired by the
Environmental Protection Agency.
*Economic Health Means Business: The Fort Collins Story August 12, 11:30 a.m.1:00 p.m. CST
Join Deputy City Manager Jeff Mihelich and Economic Health Director Josh Birks as they
outline Fort Collins approach to optimizing the citys economic, environmental and social
well-being.
*Enhancing Community Resilience through Energy Efficiency August 15, 1-2:00
p.m. CST
This webinar, hosted by Clean Energy Group's Resilient Power Project, will give an
overview of its work on efficiency as a resiliency measure and its new technical assistance
offering. Clean Energy Group will also discuss how efficiency can complement resilient
solar+storage system design.
*What You Should Know About Financing Energy Efficiency Upgrades August 16,
11 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CST
Learn how public sector organizations are improving energy efficiency with innovative
solutions to financial barriers. Attendees will learn about financing projects in the public
and private sectors, the basics of performance contracting, and how EPAs tools and
resources can help you make the decision to improve your facilities now or later.
*EPA Grants Award Process Webinar August 17, 1-2:00 p.m. CST
EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment periodically hosts webinars for the EPA grants
community. If you are interested in applying for EPA grants or are currently managing an
EPA grant, please consider attending this webinar. Also see
https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-grants-award-process-webinars for current information
and materials. Registration is not required.
How Recycling got its Groove Back: Turning Up the Quality August 18, 12-1:30 p.m.
CST
Join representatives from local programs, a hauler and MRF, MassDEP, and The
Recycling Partnership as they outline their winning approach to dialing up quality. Hear
the outcomes, share in the stories, and walk away with tangible tools ready-toimplement task lists, printable graphic files, curbside SOPs, and the data to back it up to
get your stream back in tune.
*Portfolio Manager 101 August 23, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
Learn about EPAs ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Attendees will learn how to:
navigate Portfolio Manager; add a property and enter details about it; enter energy and
water consumption data; and generate template performance reports to assess progress.

*Portfolio Manager 201 August 24, 12-1:00 p.m. CST

Continue to learn about EPAs ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool with a deeper dive
into more advanced functionalities such as: editing property data; correcting and updating
property use details; using the data quality checker; and sharing property data.
*Portfolio Manager 301 August 25, 12-1:00p.m. CST
With a good background on the basic functionality of EPAs ENERGY STAR Portfolio
Manager tool, learn about some advanced features including: using spreadsheet upload
templates to update property data; setting goals and targets to plan energy improvements
for properties; creating custom reports; and using the Sustainable Buildings Checklist.
*Update: EPAs Research into a Potential 1-100 Water Score for Multifamily Housing
August 30, 1-2:00 p.m. CST
Over the last couple of years, EPA has been actively researching data on water use for
multifamily properties, to explore the possibility of our first 1-100 score for water use.
Please join this webinar to hear about our research and findings to date. We will be
soliciting your input on some specific questions weve encountered and are also open to
any related observations and questions you may have.
*Project Regulatory Considerations August 31, 12-2:00 p.m. CST
Learn about permitting and project regulatory issues that need to be addressed when
developing energy projects. Considerations include the Helping Expedite and Advance
Responsible Tribal Home Ownership (HEARTH) Act, land use, and other biological
resources; visual impact; soil erosion and water quality; public health and safety; cultural
and paleontological resources; solid and hazardous wastes; air quality; and climate.
*CDFA Brownfields Financing Webinar Series: Strategic TIF Structuring for
Redevelopment September 1, 1-2:30 p.m. CST
Join CDFA, our technical assistance partners, and experienced brownfield communities
as we discuss tax increment financing and how it can be used to compliment the
redevelopment and cleanup of your brownfield project.
Recycling Rigid Plastics Beyond Bottles: Resources to Support MRFs and
Municipalities September 6, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
This webinar will provide an overview of the resources, developed by the Association of
Plastics Recyclers for MRFs and Municipalities to support the expansion of plastics
collected.
2015 PET Container Recycling Rate Report Overview October 18, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
This webinar will serve as an Executive Summary, featuring data and analyses from the
Report on Postconsumer PET Container Recycling Activity in 2015.
2015 National Postconsumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Rate Report Overview
November 15, 12-1:00 p.m. CST
This webinar will serve as an Executive Summary, featuring data and analyses from the
2015 National Postconsumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Rate Report.

On-Going and On-Demand Webinars

*Leveraging Resources for Brownfields Revitalization Webinar

This previously recorded webinar discusses available tools to assist communities in

leveraging resources to address community revitalization goals and challenges. It
includes a presentation on Dubuque, Iowa's successful efforts to leverage its own
resources to attract other federal, state, public and private sources of funding and
technical assistance.
EPA Computer Training Helps Water and Wastewater Utilities Build Resilience
The training covers several topics including: identifying and funding potential hazard
mitigation projects, developing and updating an Emergency Response Plan (ERP),
coordinating mutual aid and assistance during emergencies, conducting damage
assessments, and many more.
EPA Sensible Steps to Healthier School Environments 10-Part Webinar Series
Student Curriculum: Recipes for Healthy Kids, and a Healthy Environment
Each 45-minute lesson empowers kids to take steps in their everyday lives to improve
the environment for their communities and reduce their environmental risk.
LeanPath presents: Five Food Waste Myths to Debunk Now!
This webinar will explore five myths about food waste and the facts you need to debunk
them in your kitchen.
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