Focus Archive - Environment

Please note that Focus section links were valid at the time of their original posting. However, since Web sites and addresses change frequently, we cannot guarantee that all links will remain operative.

The Re-charge of Electric Vehicles (November 04)
Heavy doses of federal funding and incentives are reviving the once dim prospects for all-electric vehicles. More from American City & County.

Web Sightings – Tree Conservation (November 04)
This month we’ve selected Web sites on tree conservation and urban forestry, including general information and some Washington city and county sites:

General Information

• Tree Conservation, Management, and Protection - MRSC Web page
• Urban Forestry - MRSC Web page
• Community and Urban Forestry Program - Washington State Department of Natural Resources
• Tree Link - Community forest resource sponsored by the USDA Forest Service
• Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute - Addresses the need for improved management of urban forests. UFEI provides a center for applied research and technology transfer
• Tree City USA - Arbor Day Foundation, National recognition for greener communities. 73 Washington cities have been designated tree cities
• Tree Benefits - Arbor Day Foundation
• Why Conserve Trees - Scenic America, Includes strategies for tree conservation and model ordinance

Local Governments in Washington State

• Olympia Urban Forestry Resources
• Seattle reLeaf – Keep the Emerald City Green
• Snoqualmie Urban Forestry Program
• Tacoma Urban Forestry - EverGreen Tacoma
• Urban Forestry - Vancouver-Clark County Parks and Recreation
• Woodinville Tree Care & Preservation

The GOOD 100: Ending LEED’s Monopoly (October 21)
Follow or Get out of the Way: The household name in green construction needs to innovate in order to keep up with the competition. More from Good.

MRSC Services Survey (October 21)
MRSC is conducting a brief survey to assess whether or not our existing services are meeting your needs and to determine your interest in any additional services. We would appreciate your taking a few minutes to respond to these nine questions. Thank you.

Ten Keys to a Low-Carbon Community (October 14)
A practitioner offers cost-saving methods to help address climate change. More from Urban Land Green.

Smart City - Battling Climate Change (October 14)
This week's guests on Smart City discuss mixed use buildings that are better for the environment and low hanging fruit for cities that want to make a big dent in their carbon footprint.

Methane from Landfills (September 16)
Localities are finding new ways to use a potent greenhouse gas. More from Governing.

Forget Curbing Suburban Sprawl (September 16)
Building denser cities would do little to reduce CO2 emissions, a new National Academy of Sciences report concludes. More from Technology Review.

Trimming Waste (September 16)
A greener, cheaper way to deal with garbage - solar-powered trash receptacles/compactors. More from Slate.

Driving and the Built Environment (September 02)
A report from the Transportation Research Board, Driving and the Built Environment: Effects of Compact Development on Motorized Travel, Energy Use, and CO2 Emissions, examines the relationship between land development patterns and vehicle miles traveledto assess whether petroleum use, and by extension greenhouse gas emissions, could be reduced by changes in the design of development patterns.

The Ruins of the Unsustainable: Searching for Answers to the Suburbs (August 26)
The suburbs have long been unsustainable, and now they are becoming ruins. What are the solutions for this new frontier? More from World Changing.

Green at City Scale (August 26)
As part of an evolving “eco-district” policy, Portland city leaders aim to move beyond the design of individual structures to focus on greening entire neighborhoods. More from Governing.

Proposed Deal With County Gives City Smart Growth (August 26)
Smart urban growth development is linked with rural land protection under a visionary partnership agreement between the City of Bellevue and King County. More from Alliance for Innovation.

Web Sightings - Solar and Wind Power (August 05)
Alternative renewable power resources have become increasingly attractive solutions to meeting our energy needs. Local governments are involved in permitting of alternative energy facilities, including small rooftop wind and solar systems, as well as in building energy-efficient city and county facilities.

Alternative Renewable Power Resources – General

• Land Use Planning and Zoning for Alternative Energy Facilities, MRSC Web page
• Washington Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency - DSIRE Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy
• “Planning and Zoning for Renewable Energy,” PAS Essential Info Packet, Feb. 2008
• Renewable Resources, Oregon

Solar

• Solar Energy Facilities, MRSC Web page
• Solar Energy and Technology Program, U.S. Department of Energy
• American Solar Energy Society and Solar Energy Washington
• The George Washington University Solar Energy Institute, Research and Resources

Wind

• Wind Energy, MRSC Web page
• Windustry, Wind Resources - Includes topics such as such as contracts and easements, legal considerations, permitting, and zoning
• Wind Energy Ordinance Process for Local Government, Chad Martin et al., Purdue University, June 2009
• Small Wind Siting and Zoning Study: Development of Siting Guidelines and a Model Zoning By-Law for Small Wind Turbines, developed for the Canada Wind Energy Association, Revised September 2006
• Wind Energy Model Ordinance Options, Prepared by: Katherine Daniels, NY Planning Federation for New York State Energy Research & Development Authority, October 2005

Tools To Design and Implement Energy Efficiency Programs (June 24)
The U.S. EPA has released the first portion of its Rapid Deployment Energy Efficiency (RDEE) Toolkit Planning Guide to help states, local governments, and other program administrators design and implement effective energy efficiency programs.

Environment - Home Improvement (June 10)
Buildings, in the electricity they use to run and the materials they require to build, are responsible for nearly half of our nation’s carbon footprint. More from Good.

Does 'Smart Growth' also Create More Sprawl? (June 03)
Urban density, a Seattle and Portland mantra, is supposed to constrain sprawl, but a new analysis suggests that vital, dense cities produce bigger suburbs too. More from Crosscut.

Report Evaluates Smart Growth Policies (June 03)
Smart Growth Policies: An Evaluation of Programs and Outcomes, is the first major evaluation of smart growth policies in the United States, the result of a two-year effort involving 21 contributing researchers convened by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Climate Change and U.S. (May 27)
A recent paper from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) gives an overview of the potential impacts of climate change in the U.S.

County Program Standardizes Green Building Practices (May 20)
The GreenTools program of King County, Wash. Seeks to standardize green building practices that will support development but also protect and conserve natural resources. More from NACo's County News.

Smart Growth? Or not so Bright Idea? (May 20)
The benefits of this high-density housing viewpoint are fast becoming a ‘given’ to planners and city governments, but studies that promote the advantages often omit the obvious disadvantages. More from New Geography.

MRSC's In Focus e-Newsletter for Councilmembers and Commissioners (May 20)
MRSC's bi-weekly In Focus e-newsletter is an excellent way for your elected officials to stay informed about the latest news, research, events and trends affecting Washington city and county governments. Sign them up today.

Plug In and Drive (May 13)
In order to reap the benefits of electric cars, drivers will need to be able to charge their cars at home and on the road. States and cities are relying on public-private partnerships to create that infrastructure. More from Governing's Idea Center.

Green Loans Improve Energy Efficiency, Local Economies (May 06)
For savvy homeowners ready to improve the energy efficiency of their homes but hesitant to make the investment in today’s troubled economy, HELP is on the way. More from NACo's County News.

Involving Citizens in Adapting to Climate Change (May 06)
Evidence for climate change has been mounting over the past two decades and presents local governments with an unprecedented challenge in carrying out its responsibilities to protect citizens from harm. More from ICMA.

Smart City - Connecting a City Through Greenways (May 06)
This week's guest on Smart City tells us how greening a city can help build community and civic engagement.

Celebrating 75 Years of Research and Services! (April 23)
MRSC proudly continues the program begun as the Bureau of Governmental Research and Services in 1934 at the University of Washington. In honor of our organization’s 75th anniversary, we hope that you will enjoy a multimedia slideshow containing highlights of our history. Also see “Twenty-Five Years of Governmental Research and Service” prepared in honor of the Bureau’s 25th anniversary in 1959.

Are Cities to Blame for Climate Change? (April 22)
The authors of a study published in Environment and Urbanization take on the role of detective trying to find who is releasing the emissions creating climate change. Their hope is to clear cities as the prime suspect. More from Sightline Daily.

MRSC Blog: Selected Local Government Press Releases (April 22)
We have launched our blog containing selected local government press releases to keep you informed on new Washington local government programs and initiatives. Each entry is assigned a category (finance, planning, etc.) and a tag (wetlands, urban forestry, etc.) so you can sort them by topic. If you have not already done so, please add blog@mrsc.org to your agency's press release distribution list.

The Greening of Mercer Island (April 15)
Mercer Island is taking big steps to become a more sustainable place. City Communications Coordinator, Joy Johnston, tells ICMA TV more about Mercer Island and what the city is doing to focus on environmental improvements.

Recession Squeezes Recycling programs (March 26)
The recession has trashed the nation's booming recycling industry in just a few months, and cities are straining to keep their programs alive. More from CNN.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree (March 11)
Why "green jobs" may not save the economy or the environment. More from Slate.

National County Government Week (March 11)
"Greening our Future" is the theme for this year's National County Government Week, scheduled for May 3-9 and sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo).

Get Help with Smart Growth Initiatives from EPA Experts (March 04)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is looking for communities that are committed to smart growth but lack the tools to implement their smart growth projects for its annual Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Program (SGIA).

Web Sightings – Transfer of Development Rights (March 04)
Transfer of development rights (TDR) is a valuable tool to conserve agricultural, forest, and rural land. TDR programs allow owners to transfer the right to develop one parcel of land to a different parcel of land. In Washington State, TDRs are used to shift development from resource lands and rural areas to designated urban growth areas where municipal services are available.

• Transfer of Development Rights, MRSC Web page
• Land Use Planning Strategies - Transfer of Development Rights, Smart Communities Network - links to articles, publications
• Transfer of Development Rights, from "Sprawl Guide," Planners Web (Planning Commissioners Journal)
• Regional Transfer of Development Rights Program, Washington State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development - Includes link to Final TDR Report, Dec. 2008
• Transfer of Development Rights, The Cascade Agenda
• “Beyond Takings and Givings,” by Rick Pruetz - General information on TDR and link to order book
• Beginning with Habitat Toolbox, TDR, Maine

TDR Programs from Washington Counties and Cities

• Arlington, Stillaguamish Valley Transfer of Development Rights program
Clark County Transfer of Development Rights Program
Issaquah Transfer of Development Rights Program – Includes regulations, map of sending and receiving sites, and tracking of purchased and sold TDRs
King County Transfer of Development Rights Program - Includes TDR market information, sending and receiving site information, TDR bank, glossary, etc.
Kitsap County Transfer of Development Rights Program - Includes documents, TDR sending site criteria and receiving site criteria, and more.
Snohomish County Transfer of Development Rights - Includes program implementation, TDR study, and program expansion.

Green Infrastructure Municipal Handbook Grows (February 26)
The US Environmental Protection Agency is developing The Municipal Handbook to help local officials implement green infrastructure in their communities.

Smart City - The City Dividends (February 19)
Joe Cortright is an economist for Impresa Consulting in Portland, Ore., and his latest work shows how profitable it can be for a city to be greener, smarter, and with fewer people living in poverty. More from Smart City.

Keep It Green (February 19)
As the stimulus bill takes shape, states need to pay attention to the impact of new projects on wildlife, wetlands and water. More from Governing.

Green Cities, Brown Suburbs (February 19)
To save the planet, build more skyscrapers—especially in California. More from City Journal.

"Top Ten" Green Building Trends for 2009 (February 05)
Green building will continue to grow in spite of the global credit crisis and the ongoing economic recession in most countries. More from iGreenBuild.com.

Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America (January 22)
A new report from Brookings, Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America, quantifies transportation and residential carbon emissions for the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, finding that metro area residents have smaller carbon footprints than the average American, although metro footprints vary widely.

Green Building Impact Report (January 22)
The Green Building Impact Report from GreenerBuildings.com is the first-ever integrated assessment of the land, water, energy, material and indoor environmental impacts of the LEED standards.

Green Jobs Report (January 15)
A new report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Global Insight, Current and Potential Green Jobs in the U.S. Economy, examines the economic benefits of the 'Green Economy.'

EPA gives more Policy-Making Voice to Local Governments (December 18)
State and local governments will have more involvement in developing federal environmental rules thanks to a new EPA policy that broadens the agency’s consulting efforts. More from NACo's County News.

West Coast Estuaries Initiative for Coastal Watersheds (December 11)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 (EPA) recently issued a competitive grant announcement, soliciting assistance agreement proposals under the region's West Coast Estuaries Initiative. EPA has approximately $2.8 million to award to coastal communities in Oregon, Washington and Alaska. More from the EPA.

Guide to Managing Stormwater (December 04)
A new publication from the Center for Watershed Protection, Managing Stormwater in Your Community: A Guide for Building an Effective Post-Construction Program (PDF, 22MB), provides stormwater professionals with practical guidance, insights, and tools to build effective programs.

Self-Reliant Cities - Energy and the Transformation of Urban America (November 20)
Originally published in 1982, The New Rules Project is making available, as a free download, "Self-Reliant Cities" since many of its discussions are as relevant today as they were 25 years ago.

Green Strategies Spur Rebirth of American Cities (November 13)
U.S. cities have been using green planning to spark economic development, helping create a real urban renaissance in America. With a new administration soon to arrive in Washington, these same approaches may finally start being used on a national scale. More from Environment 360.

Urban Stormwater Management Report (November 07)
A new report from the National Research Council, Urban Stormwater Management in the United States (PDF 10.8MB), provides a description of the history of stormwater management in the United States and a number of recommendations on how stormwater management can be improved to achieve better environmental outcomes.

States, Cities Step Up Climate Change Responses (October 23)
Before the fiscal crisis, there was the global climate crisis. After the fiscal crisis, we’ll still have the global climate crisis — for the rest of our lives. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Grants to Secure the Future of Farming and Salmon (October 16)
The Pioneers in Conservation grants for salmon recovery projects on and affecting private farmlands funded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Washington State Conservation Commission are now available statewide. More from the American Farmland Trust.

Sustainability and Survival (October 16)
Managing development to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future is no longer a luxury. More from Governing.

Design Recommendations for Regional Market-Based Cap-and-Trade Program (October 09)
The Western Climate Initiative (WCI) today announced recommendations for the design of a regional market-based cap-and-trade program. The Final Design Recommendations can be viewed at the WCI website.

Eco-Cities: Urban Planning for the Future (October 09)
Massive developments proposed for the U.S., China and Abu Dhabi aim to reduce or even eliminate the environmental cost of city living. More from Scientific American.

Portland Sets the Pace for Sustainability (October 09)
Portland, Ore., is the most sustainable city in the nation, according to San Francisco-based SustainLane's U.S. City Rankings. More from American City & County.

The Bad News About Green Architecture (October 09)
Sustainable buildings are virtuous, but they can be ugly. Only a few designs are truly great. More from Newsweek.

Good Question! (October 02)
Regular users of this site know that we feature an "inquiry of the week" on the MRSC home page (see right-hand column). We have now incorporated a compilation of these questions and responses into the MRSC Index. The MRSC Index is a one-stop listing of all web pages, documents and inquiries that we have on any given topic. Browse the index by topic or search it by keyword.

Local Government Budget Library (October 02)
MRSC maintains an extensive collection of local government budgets organized by city, county and special purpose districts. We also link to online budgets (along with other documents and services) within the profiles that we maintain for each city and county.

Follow the LEEDer (September 18)
Portland’s Gerding Edlen Development continues to break new ground in green design. More from Metropolis Magazine.

From ‘Sporks’ to ‘Spudware,’ Counties Going Green (September 18)
Until recently, San Mateo County, Calif. Jail inmates were blowing through 3,000 disposable plastic spoons per day — used once then off to the landfill. San Mateo is among the latest crop of counties that are stepping up their environmental efforts. More from NACo's County News.

Green Infrastructure Rising (September 11)
The future of stormwater has arrived, and that future is green. Green infrastructure, that is. More from Planning.

Brownfields and Land Revitalization Conference (September 11)
The Washington Department of Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program invites you to participate in the State's first-ever Brownfield Conference, October 21-22 in Tacoma.

EPA Launches Treatment Database (September 04)
The Environmental Protction Agency's (EPA) Drinking Water Treatability Database is a new online tool for water treatment professionals that can be used for assessing the effectiveness of dozens of treatment processes, conducting literature reviews, and assessing relevant regulatory issues for specific contaminants.

City Curbs On Cars: Now Accelerating (September 04)
For close to a century, the automobile has so boldly seized Americans’ imagination — sparking the economy, paving the continent, designing our neighborhoods — that even the thought of curbing its dominion seems unnatural. But realism says this century simply can’t be a repeat of the heavily motorized 20th. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

New Feature - National News Clippings (September 04)
We've added a new feature to our "Local Governments in the News" section below. Now, in addition to our regular local news source clippings, we will also be featuring news clippings from various national news sources highlighting current events, trends and other news affecting Washington city and county governments and special districts.

This Little Light of Mine (August 28)
Many cities have been switching to the efficiencies of as-needed lighting, thanks to their computer programmers. More from Governing.

Web Sightings - Everything Green (August 28)
Web Sightings - Everything Green In a time of high energy costs and concern about climate change, communities are embracing a variety of green strategies. The following are some of our favorite “green” sites:

MRSC Web pages

• Green Communities and Building Design
• Healthy Communities
• Renewable Energy – Green Power
• Smart Growth and Sustainable Development

National Green Resources

• Green Development, Smart Communities Network - Comprehensive site with links to information on green principles, tools, financing, success stories, ordinances, and more
• Green Communities - U.S. EPA
• Smart Growth Online - Comprehensive network with information on smart growth principles and issues and extensive resource library
• Green Plans in Action: State of the States and Climate Change - Resource Renewal Institute, Innovations for a Sustainable Future - International resource with state-by-state information
• ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA - International membership association of local governments dedicated to climate protection and sustainable development

Washington State and Local Resources

• Sustainable Washington - Information about Washington State’s Interagency Sustainability Committee and actions to address sustainable economy, sustainable environment, and sustainable society
• Kirkland Green Homepage - Information on Kirkland’s Green City initiatives
• Olympia Sustainability - Putting sustainability into action is one of the Olympia City Council's four primary goals
• Shoreline Environmentally Sustainable Community - Implements Shoreline City Council goal to create an environmentally sustainable community
• Richland Green Recognition Program - Annual awards for green practices

Global Winners Chosen for Sustainable Cities Award (August 19)
Nine ‘outstanding’ programs from around the world have been chosen as winners at the first ever Sustainable Cities Awards. More from Sustainablog.

Achieving Green Building Status (August 13)
Guided by a city directive that all new taxpayer-funded buildings be LEED certified, the newly constructed Fort Collins Police Services (FCPS) building has earned the federal program’s Silver rating and is pursuing Gold. More from The Police Chief.

Solar-Powered Trash Can Demonstration Project (August 13)
Philadelphia's Department of Streets recently began testing a new solar-powered trash receptable and compactor that can store four to six times the volume of ordinary litter baskets and cut fuel use and greenhouse-gas emissions from garbage collection by 80 percent.

Guidebook to Help Water Utilities Improve Energy Management (August 13)
A new guidebook from the EPA, Ensuring a Sustainable Future: An Energy Management Guidebook for Wastewater and Water Utilities, will help utilities systematically assess their current energy costs and practices, set measurable performance improvement goals, and monitor and measure their progress over time.

Report on Municipal Green Building Policies (August 13)
The Environmental Law Institute has issued a report providing a detailed review of selected municipal green building policies that address private-sector development. More from the Environmental Law Institute.

Financing Alternatives Comparison Tool (August 07)
The Environmental Protection Agency's "Financing Alternatives Comparison Tool" is a a free financial analysis tool that helps identify the most cost effective method to fund a wastewater or drinking water management project. More from the EPA.

Ahead of the Curve (July 24)
Long before it was cool to be green, King County, Wash., Executive Ron Sims was interested in environmental issues. More from American City & County.

Hybrid Police Patrol Vehicles Praised (July 24)
You’ve seen the headlines. Hybrids work! Hybrids save money! Hybrids save fuel, and hybrids reduce pollution! But you wonder, do they really? More from Public Management.

New Rules for Gas Distribution Pipelines (July 24)
The federal Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is in the final stages of a rulemaking process for integrity management rules for natural gas distribution systems. Cities that operate their own natural gas distribution systems need to pay attention to this issue. Cities served by small gas distribution companies might consider contacting them to make sure they are aware of the coming regulations.

Zero-Carbon Cities (July 17)
As cities around the world look to slash their carbon emissions, several new cities provide a glimpse of the strategies and challenges of designing cities for the post-carbon age. More from Urban Land.

Quick Links to City/County Information (July 17)
MRSC recently expanded the types of key documents (e.g., budgets and comp plans) and services (e.g., council broadcasts and online service request forms) that we track in our "city profiles" page. Use these profiles for quick access to city and town documents and services. For county information, see our "county profiles" page.

10 Greenest Places to Retire (July 03)
Parks can make even the densest and driest locales seem like cities in gardens. More from U.S. News.

Climate Protection Strategies - Best Practices Guide (July 03)
A new report prepared for the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Summit in Seattle, Climate Protection Strategies and Best Practices Guide, reviews efforts by cities to conserve energy and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that threaten our planet.

Sustainable Community Development Code -- Beta (July 03)
The Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute has released a beta version of the Sustainable Community Development Code, a guidebook that provides extensive resources encompassing the broad scope of sustainable living.

Where New Urbanism is Strong — and Where it’s Weak (June 26)
Fifteen years after its official founding, New Urbanism is growing nationwide, but in some places more than others.More from New Urban News.

New Sustainable Stormwater Best Management Practices Web Site (June 26)
The Water Environment Research Federation web site is designed to encourage and facilitate the integration of stormwater best management practices into development projects in your area.

Let the Sun Shine In (June 05)
Recent federal funding encourages planning departments to take the lead in residential solar programs. More from Planning Magazine.

A Powerful Combination (May 23)
King County's Department of Transportation reports on the success of their recent hybrid utility truck pilot project. More from American City & County.

Receive RSS Feeds of In Focus (May 23)
We’ve added another option for you to receive information from MRSC: RSS Feeds. Simply click on the RSS button to create an “MRSC In Focus” folder in your email program or RSS reader. You will automatically begin receiving updates to our main Focus page, “Local Governments in the News,” the four Advisor columns, and our “What’s New” section. You can unsubscribe at any time by simply deleting the folder from your RSS reader or email program.

The (Big) Green Apple (May 15)
The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation is considering the environment around every turn. More from Parks & Recreation Magazine.

Counties Take Different Routes to Same ‘Green’ Goals (May 09)
The “greening” of America’s county buildings is proceeding apace on a number of fronts. More from NACo's County News.

Smart Growth Technical Assistance Program Summaries (May 09)
The U.S. EPA is posting summaries of the technical assistance projects conducted under the Smart Growth Implementation Assistance program. More from the EPA.

Smart City - Green Buildings (May 09)
This week on Smart City Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels talks about his efforts to convince 800 mayors to sign on to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and to make Seattle a model for sustainability.

Web Sightings - Water Conservation (May 01)
Web Sightings - Water Conservation This month we’ve selected water conservation sites that address general tips on water conservation as well as activities of cities, counties, and special districts:

General Resources

• MRSC Web page on Water Conservation
• Water Conserve – Water conservation portal and search engine
• Water Sense, U.S. EPA - Information on Water-Efficient Products
• Partnership for Water Conservation, Puget Sound area
• Water Wiser, American Water Works Association - A comprehensive clearinghouse of resources on water conservation, efficiency and demand management for conservation professionals and the larger water supply community.

Washington State

• Water Conservation Tips, Washington Department of Ecology
• Water Use Efficiency, Washington Department of Health
Saving Water Partnership - A group of local utilities that fund water conservation programs in Seattle and King County.

Washington Local Governments

• Bellingham Water Conservation
• Bremerton Water Conservation
• Kirkland Water Conservation
• Olympia Water Conservation
• Richland Water Conservation
• Spokane County Water Conservation
• Tacoma Water – Water Conservation
• Tumwater Water Conservation

Free Water Quality and Smart Growth Toolkit (April 23)
The "Balancing Water Quality and Smart Growth Goals Toolkit" CD-ROM from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is a compilation of valuable resources and ideas, including a new webcast on "Protecting Water Quality While Meeting Smart Growth Goals." More form ICMA.

Conservation Through the Ballot Box (April 23)
Between 1998 and 2006, some 1,550 referenda for the conservation of open space appeared on state, county, and municipal ballots across the United States, and their success rate was very high: nearly 80 percent of these measures passed, many by a wide margin. More from Land Lines.

Report on State Wetland Programs (April 23)
A new report out from the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), State Wetland Protection: Status, Trends & Model Approaches, examines the core elements of all 50 state wetland programs and highlights best practices. More from ELI.

Creating "Cooler" Communities - Papers Available (April 21)
The program papers from the Association of Washington Cities' "Creating "Cooler' Communities - Municipal Responses to Climate Change" workshop held on April 16, 2008, in Tacoma are now available.

EPA Launches Environmental Indicators Gateway (April 17)
The U.S. Environmental Protectin Agency (EPA) recently launched the Environmental Indicators Gateway Web site to provide enhanced public access to environmental and health information generated by EPA.

Green Building Course: LEED for Homes Program Review (April 09)
The LEED for Homes Program Review course being offered by the U.S. Green Building Council offers the knowledge needed for successful participation in the LEED for Homes initiative. The one-day workshop will be held in Kirkland on May 5, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.

On the Front Lines of Positive Change (April 09)
Since 2005, hundreds of mayors across all 50 states have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, thereby initiating important first steps in their own communities and playing a major role in shaping the national discussion. More from Urban Land Green.

Building Green for Today’s Consumers (April 09)
Recycled materials, low-flow faucets, and upgraded mechanical systems are just some of the sustainable strategies being incorporated into green multifamily housing today. More from Multfamily Trends.

Green Building Incentives that Work (March 27)
A report by the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, Green Building Incentives that Work - A Look at How Local Governments are Incentivizing Green Development, provides an overview of local and state incentives for green building construction by the private sector.

Whose Property Rights? (March 27)
The clash between private interests and public welfare in Oregon raises a question that has vexed the nation since its founding. More from Metropolis Magazine.

Our Aging Infrastructure: Voices For Change Mount Quickly (March 27)
The infrastructure issue — the long shadow thrown across America’s future by deteriorating roadways, bridges, railroads, water systems and schools — finally seems to be getting hot. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

The Cost of Clean Streams (March 27)
Across the country, local officials facing rising costs to satisfy federal requirements for controlling stormwater runoff are searching for ways to fund the costly measures. More from American City & County.

Locate Sample Ordinances, Contracts, RFPs (March 13)
You can use MRSC's search system to locate a wide variety of local government documents. Note the new options to the right of your search results that allow you to limit your results by agency type, population range, region, form and class of government. Watch a brief tutorial to learn more about using our advanced search features.

EPA Launches New Multimedia Portal Website (March 13)
The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new web-based multimedia portal to serve as a one-stop location for environmental video, audio/podcasts, and photography.

Conservation Creates Green Collar Jobs (March 13)
As local governments pass policies and create programs to encourage “green” building and sustainable development, they also are fostering the development of jobs in construction, horticulture, hazardous waste remediation and energy conservation. More from American City & County.

AWC Training – Municipal Responses to Climate Change (March 06)
On April 16, 2008 AWC is holding a one-day training session on Creating "Cooler" Cities – Municipal Responses to Climate Change at the Tacoma Convention Center.

Smart City - Main Streets (February 27)
This week's guests on Smart City are on the frontlines of making cities sustainable with their work on housing, mixed use development and Main Streets.

Counties Warm up to Climate Action (February 27)
Whether counties are motivated by global warming, air quality, national security, sustainability or financial savings, they are taking action to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions. More from NACo's County News.

EPA Website on Air Quality Projects for Local Communities (February 27)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a new website highlighting projects that local communities can undertake to reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution. More from the EPA.

The Footprint Factor (February 27)
Cities of all sizes are banding together to reduce their own — and eventually the world's — carbon emissions. More from Governing.

Use of Biodiesel in a Transit Fleet (February 27)
A new report from the Transportation Research Board (TRB), Use of Biodiesel in a Transit Fleet, explores potential benefits offered by biodiesel in order to help transit agencies make informed decisions regarding its use. More from the TRB.

EPA Issues Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan Guide (February 27)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a new guidance document for construction site operators who require National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit coverage for their stormwater discharges. More from the EPA.

Cities: A Smart Alternative to Cars (February 22)
Creating compact communities—and eliminating the need to drive everywhere—may be the best way to slash greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. More from Business Week.

Spokane Fights Climate Change and Peak Oil Together (February 22)
Many cities have plans in place to reduce greenhouse gases, and a growing number are planning for declining global oil production. But the city of Spokane has become the first to tackle climate change and global oil depletion together. More from Post Carbon Cities.

Reimagining Cities (February 14)
The latest issue of Science is dedicated to looking at cities, their development and the changing demographics that are shaping our urban lifestyles. More from Science Magazine.

Web Sightings - Community-Supported Agriculture and the Local Food Movement (February 07)
Web Sightings - Community-Supported Agriculture and the Local Food Movement Interest in community-supported agriculture and local farmers markets has been growing as part of the trend toward sustainable agriculture. These are the subjects of this month's Web Sightings:

Community-Supported Agriculture

• Community-Supported Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Links to publications and information regarding CSAs.
• CSA organizations and Web sites, compiled by Mary V. Gold, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2006
• Community-Supported Agriculture, Washington State University Small Farms
• Sustainable Table, Community Supported Agriculture - Links to general information on CSAs.

Local Food and Farmers Markets

• Farmers Markets and Public Markets, MRSC Web page
• Puget Sound Fresh - Regional consumer education and product identification program covering 12 Puget Sound counties, sponsored by Cascade Harvest Coalition and King County
• King County Eat Smart Program - Information for King County employees and their families
• Clallam Grown – Why Eat Local?
• Washington Sustainable Food and Farming Network - Grassroots, statewide advocacy organization for sustainable agriculture and family farms in Washington State
• Local Harvest - Website to find farmers markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area.

For more information, see Washington Agriculture and the Economy, MRSC Web page.

Local Leaders in Sustainability (February 07)
The Local Leaders Report: A Study of Green Building Programs in Our Nation's Communities, from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) examines the current state of green building laws in American cities as of 2007. More from the AIA.

Environment - Powering Down (February 07)
Rising fuel prices, carbon footprints and e-waste have grabbed the attention of state and local government leaders, causing many to turn their operations inside out to reach “green” goals. More from American City & County.

Online Ecological Assessment Database Available (January 31)
A new online database of ecological assessment methods has been developed through a cooperative agreement between the National Park Service and George Mason University.

American Institute of Architects 50to50 (January 31)
A new publication from the American Institute of Architects, "50to50" (7.8MB), is a how-to resource intended to assist architects and the construction industry in achieving a minimum 50 percent reduction of fossil fuel consumption in buildings by 2010 and carbon neutrality by 2030.

Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure (January 24)
A new publication from the U.S. EPA, Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure, describes an action strategy promoting the benefits of green infrastructure in mitigating overflows from combined and separate sewers and reducing runoff.

Green Community Resources (January 24)
Start big or small, but start planning a sustainable future for your community. More from The Commissioner.

Web Sightings 2007 (January 17)
In case you missed them, here are all of our Web Sightings for 2007:

• Ecological Footprint
• Congestion Pricing
• Washington City/County History Links
• Citizen Boards and Commissions
• Workforce Planning
• Walkable Communities and Pedestrian Planning
• Heritage Tourism
• Energy Conservation and Efficiency
• Neighborhood Web Sites

The Intersection of Trees and Safety (January 17)
In the automobile age, a real concern with safety has resulted in street tree standards that dictate long setbacks from intersections, ostensibly to achieve unobstructed sight lines for drivers. But are street trees the safety problem they are purported to be? More from Access.

Converging Frontiers of Conservation Development (January 09)
Conservation development can offer developers and builders a strategy to meet increased housing demand while employing responsible management of natural resources. More from Urban Land Green.

A Cautionary Tale (January 02)
Amid our green-building boom, why neglecting the old in favor of the new just might cost us dearly. More From Preservation.

It's Way Too Easy Being Green (January 02)
Critics of LEED—many of them architects who were green before green was cool—see a system that's easy to game and has more to do with generating good PR than saving the planet. More from Slate.

How Green is Your House? (January 02)
No matter how green your house is it can't really be described as environmentally friendly if it's part of a sprawling neighborhood that just adds to car dependency. More from Time.

Comments Invited on Draft Climate Change Recommendations (January 02)
The Washington Departments of Ecology (DOE) and Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) invite you to submit your comments on draft recommendations for meeting the Washington Climate Change Challenge. More from DOE.

Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) (January 02)
DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Smart Growth Tools (January 02)
Although smart growth makes financial and environmental sense for communities, it's not always easy to achieve. This week's guests on Smart City talk about smart growth and how to make it happen.

Targeted Watershed Grants 2008 Puget Sound Initiative (December 20)
U.S. EPA Region 10 is soliciting proposals to support the protection and restoration of high valued Puget Sound aquatic resources in areas threatened by growth pressure through holistic watershed protection and management approaches. More from EPA.

Fields of Dreams (December 20)
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington-based Brookings Institute, 450,000 brownfield sites, comprising more than 80,000 acres, currently blight America's cities. More from American City & County.

Local Warming (December 13)
It’s too late to stop climate change. What we can do is plan for it. More from Governing.

Going Green (December 13)
Local governments are pressuring the federal government by their examples and inventing and applying strategies that are creating new environmental policy, often without mandates. More from Public Management.

Green Playbook (November 28)
The Playbook, a web-based resource, provides strategies, tips, and tools that cities and counties can use to take immediate action on climate change through: Green building, green neighborhoods, and sustainable infrastructure.

Nine Ways to Go Green (November 28)
Is it enough to purchase products made with recycled materials or can you find "cradle to cradle" products and go truly green? More from NACo's County News.

Can LEED Survive the Carbon-Neutral Era? (November 28)
The rating system is beginning to gain wide acceptance, but critics now wonder whether the checklist approach can meet the daunting challenges ahead. More from Metropolis Magazine.

NACo Assistance Available for Energy Tracking, Assessment (November 28)
Counties interested in reducing their energy consumption should take a look at a new and free tool that can help them measure their energy consumption. More from NACo's County News.

Web Sightings - Energy Conservation and Efficiency (November 20)
Local governments and consumers in general are interested in energy conservation to conserve scarce non-renewable resources, save energy costs, and to help reduce global warming pollution associated with carbon dioxide emissions. The topic for this month's Web Sightings is energy conservation and efficiency:

• MRSC Energy Conservation Web page and related MRSC pages on Green Building Design and Climate Change
• AWC's Energy Program
• Smart Communities Network - Creating Energy Efficient Communities, "Community Energy," National Center for Appropriate Technology
• U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency
• Rocky Mountain Institute - Energy Efficiency
• Victoria Transport Policy Institute - Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Strategies, TDM Encyclopedia
• Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and Washington State University - Energy Ideas Clearinghouse
• California Local Energy Efficiency Program - CALeep Workbook (To help plan, organize, implement, and assess energy efficiency activities at the local and regional level)
• British Columbia - Community Energy Planning Toolkit

EPA's 2007 National Awards for Smart Growth Achievement (November 20)
The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the recipients of its 2007 National Awards for Smart Growth Achievement including an award for the Seattle Housing Authority.

Environment - The Only Way to Fly (November 20)
Airports are going green — partly on principle and partly because it makes good business sense. More from Planning.

Fueling Doubts (November 06)
Ethanol and biodiesel may not offer the net environmental benefits many city and counties seek from switching to alternative fuels. More from American City & County.

Is Water the Next Carbon? (November 06)
While discussions of reducing humans’ carbon footprint have only recently emerged, people have been conserving and reusing their water supplies for thousands of years. More from Urban Land.

Does Not Drain to Bay (October 31)
Using a revolutionary series of "natural drainage systems," Seattle is attempting to detain and slow stormwater by trying to mimic the forest floor and pasture that once covered its landscape. More from Terrain.

Power Play (October 31)
Climate-change awareness and rising prices for electricity and natural gas are pushing wastewater facilities to produce and use renewable energy. More from American City & County.

Report Evaluates Local TDR Programs (October 23)
A report published by Resources for the Future, Transfer of Development (TDR) Rights in U.S. Communities: Evaluating Program Design, Implementation, and Outcome (2288 KB), found that while over 140 local jurisdictions use TDR progams as a tool for achieving land preservation goals, successful implementation has often been difficult.

Watershed Protection Protection Grants (October 23)
The Catalog of Federal Funding Sources for Watershed Protection Web site is a searchable database of financial assistance sources (grants, loans, cost-sharing) available to fund a variety of watershed protection projects.

Smart Growth Around America (October 23)
The Smart Growth Around America blog is a "one-stop source for the latest news from Smart Growth America" that showcases recent and developing smart growth issues from throughout the United States.

Benefits of Conservation Development (October 17)
Conservation development can offer developers and builders a strategy to meet increased housing demand while employing responsible management of natural resources. More from Urban Land Green.

Court Rules on Local Shoreline Development Moratorium (October 11)
In a 5-4 decision, the state supreme court in Biggers v. City of Bainbridge Island overturned the city's moratorium on shoreline development. However, five justices held that local governments have authority to enact moratoria on shoreline development without being in conflict with the Shoreline Management Act. See concurring and dissenting opinions.

Webcast on Environmental Management Systems (October 10)
The International City/County Management Association's free "Environmental Management Systems: A Powerful Tool for Local Governments" Webcast, discusses how environmental management systems save on long-term costs and improve environmental compliance and performance.

Energy Efficiency Creates a More Sustainable Bottom Line (October 03)
An obvious starting point for local governments’ energy efficiency efforts is their own buildings. More from Public Management.

Urban Stormwater Retrofit Manual Released (October 03)
The Center for Watershed Protection's recently released "Urban Stormwater Retrofit Practices" manual provides all the resources needed to develop an effective local retrofit program. More from the Center for Watershed Protection.

Up to $72 million available for EPA Brownfields Grants (September 19)
The EPA recently released proposed guidelines for submitting proposals for 2008 Brownfields Grants to mitigate and redevelop sites contaminated by petroleum, hazardous substances and other contaminants. More from NACo's County News.

Confluence of Interest (September 19)
Thousands of citizen-led organizations are working to improve water quality across political boundaries. More from Governing.

Waste from Analog-to-Digital TV Switch Worries Officials (September 11)
When television screens around the country go static in 2009, officials are hoping that consumers will be prepared and not go running to the landfill. More from NACo's County News.

Community Development - Change of Climate (August 28)
Emerging trends in five European cities suggest what could be ahead for the U.S. development environment. More from Urban Land.

County will Consider Climate Change Impacts of New Projects (August 22)
King County agencies will be considering climate change impacts as part of their project review under Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The new policy, which takes effect on September 1, 2007, applies to any project that requires a SEPA checklist. More from the Marten Law Group's Environmental News.

Green Is the New Granite (August 01)
Sustainable features are the hottest thing in master planned communities. More from Planning.

Stormwater Management and Climate Change (July 30)
A recent article, Stormwater Management As Adaptation to Climate Change looks at some widely divergent aspects of stormwater management that are interlinked with climate change adaptation. Read the article in Stormwater, July/August 2007.

Puget Sound Region Stormwater Management Costs (July 30)
From the Water Center at the University of Washington, a Fact Sheet on Coping with stormwater—how much does it cost?

The Next Drug Problem (June 19)
Hidden among the well-known problems faced by water professionals — aging infrastructure, dwindling supply — is another emerging issue: rising amounts of pharmaceutical compounds in surface water and drinking water. Read article in the June issue of American City and County.

New Clean Water Bill Alters Definition "Waters of the U.S." (June 11)
New regulations, preemption, and unfunded mandates are in the works for state and local governments under a new proposal to revise the 1972 Clean Water Act. H.R. 2421, proposes to eliminate the word “navigable” from the definition of “waters of the U.S.” within the Clean Water Act, essentially placing all bodies of water or “perceived” bodies of water under federal jurisdiction.  More from NACO News and Analysis

EPA's  Excellence in Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging Award (June 04)
This award recognizes communities for their outstanding comprehensive approaches to implementing principles of smart growth, as well as strategies that support active aging. The award will be presented to communities with the best and most inclusive overall approach to implementing smart growth and active aging. Entries due by October 19, 2007 Additional information on EPA's Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging

Preventing Pathogenic Contamination of Drinking Water (May 30)
A new primer developed by The Groundwater Foundation, "Protecting Our Water: A Primer for Preventing Pathogenic Contamination of Drinking Water Sources," describes how communities can take action to reduce pathogenic threats to their source water.

EPA Releases Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox (May 23)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox, a set of Web-based resources designed to assist communities across the U.S. conduct locally effective watershed outreach.

Billboards vs. A 'Greener' America (May 23)
There's lots of talk about the "greening'' of America in this time of climate change and soaring energy costs. But don't count the billboard industry in. More from the Washington Post Writers Group.

Putting Green (May 23)
Quality golf facilities are increasingly maintaining their courses and the environment. More from Parks & Recreation Magazine.

Counties Victorious in Supreme Court Flow Control Case (May 15)
In one broad stroke, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the legality of flow control, and local governments came out the winners. More from NACo's County News.

Ten Years of Smart Growth (May 09)
As of 2006, nearly 20 states have implemented smart growth-oriented directives, and many local and regional entities have also incorporated smart growth practices into their comprehensive master plans. More from Cityscape ( 275KB).

U.S. Supreme Court Sides with Local Governments (May 09)
On April 30th, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down two rulings favorable to local governments. The National League of Cities (NLC) joined amicus briefs in support of the prevailing parties in both cases. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Clean Water Act Change May Impact Local Governments (May 01)
Lawmakers in the House and Senate are poised to introduce legislation that would respond to two recent Supreme Court decisions by expanding the scope of federal regulation of "waters of the United States." More from Nation's Cities Weekly.

Top Ten US City Use of Renewable Energy (April 24)
Which of the largest 50 US cities provide citizens with the highest percentage of power produced from renewable energy? More from SustainLane.

Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse (ER3) (April 24)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ER3 program will collaborate with public and private partners to identify, develop, and deliver incentives to encourage developers and property owners to implement sustainable practices during the redevelopment of contaminated sites.

Local Governments and Sustainable Infrastructure (April 18)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Local Government Advisory Committee has developed a DVD that highlights how local governments address aging sewer and water systems to meet current and future challenges facing our communities. More from the EPA.

Smart City - The Greening of Cities (April 18)
Sustainability is the new imperative for urban leaders. And now there is a new way to encourage and even measure a community's sustainability. The topic of discussion on this week's Smart City is the greening of cities.

Top Ten Alternative Fueled City Fleets (March 22)
SustainLane surveyed the largest 50 US cities in 2006 as to the percentage of their city vehicles fleets using alternative fuels including biodiesel, hydrogen, ethanol, compressed and natural gas, as well as electric vehicles, gas-hybrid vehicles. More from SustainLane.

LEED for Neighborhood Development (March 07)
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Neighborhood Development Rating System integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism, and green building into the first national standard for neighborhood design.

EPA Funding Available to Reduce Toxic Exposure (February 22)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it is offering funding to support community-based partnerships in reducing risks from toxics in local communities. More from EPA.

Critical Areas Ordinance (CAO) Guidebook (February 14)
The draft version of a report, Small Cities Critical Areas Ordinance Implementation Guidebook (1583KB), is now available from the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development’s Growth Management Services Division. Comments on the draft guidance document are welcomed through March 2007.

Public Outreach Makes County’s Recycling Program a Success (February 06)
Less has turned out to be more when it comes to Pierce County's curbside recycling program. More from NACo's County News.

EPA's Wastewise Communities Program (February 06)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Wastewise Communities Program will support local governments' efforts in residential municipal solid waste reduction and the related climate change impacts.

Smart Growth Implementation Assistance Available from EPA (January 31)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from communities that want help with smart growth implementation including either policy analysis or public participatory processes. Applications will be accepted until March 8, 2007. More from EPA.

Web Sightings - Ecological Footprint (January 26)
The ecological footprint is an assessment tool that measures how much land and water area a population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its wastes under prevailing technology. This measurement tool was developed by Professor William E. Rees at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. We’ve selected some sites and reports that provide general information on the ecological footprint concept and a few local and regional programs, too.