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$750K in EPA Smart Growth assistance includes Cheyenne, Wyo.; New England and Richardton, N.D.

Release Date: 02/10/2012
Contact Information: U.S. EPA: Cindy Cody, EPA Denver, 303-312-6228; Latisha Petteway, EPA HQ, 202-564-3191

$750K in EPA Smart Growth assistance includes Cheyenne, Wyo.; New England and Richardton, N.D.

Valuable planning support through Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program

Contacts:
U.S. EPA: Cindy Cody, EPA Denver, 303-312-6228; Latisha Petteway, EPA HQ, 202-564-3191
City of Cheyenne: Nancy Olson, Transportation Planner, 307-638-4366
Richardton, North Dakota: Thea Thompson, City Auditor, 701-974-3399
New England, North Dakota: Jason Jung, City Auditor, 701-579-4422

(Denver, Colo. — February 10, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 56 communities in 26 states that will receive technical assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. Each community will receive the assistance from EPA-funded private-sector experts. The technical experts will work with the communities on actions they can take to improve the economy, the environment, and quality of life. Some examples may include improving pedestrian access and safety, incorporating green infrastructure, or conducting an economic and fiscal health assessment.

The City of Cheyenne, Wyo. and the communities of Dickinson, Richardton, and New England, N.D. are among 56 communities selected to receive targeted assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The City of Cheyenne will use the assistance to advance long-range transportation planning as part of the Complete Streets program. Officials from Richardton and New England will use the program for community planning and the development of sustainable housing in their communities. This assistance will be delivered in a day-long workshop for each community that will provide ideas on local policies and procedures to improve the local economy, environment, and quality of life.

Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities among EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The interagency collaboration coordinates federal investments in infrastructure, facilities, and services to get better results for communities and use taxpayer money more efficiently. The partnership is helping communities across the country create more housing choices, make transportation more efficient and reliable, reinforce existing investments, and support vibrant and healthy neighborhoods that attract businesses.

The following communities will receive assistance:

· Surprise, Ariz.
· Contra Costa County and Modesto, Calif.
· Simsbury, Conn.
· Lewes, Del.
· Pocatello, Idaho
· Campton Hills, Hazel Crest, Lakemoor, Lansing, Niles, Olympia Fields, and Round Lake Heights, Ill.
· Dallas Center, Van Meter, and Woodward, Iowa
· Daytona Beach and Wakulla County, Fla.
· Dunwoody, Ga.
· Hays, Salina, and Topeka, Kan.
· Baton Rouge, La.
· Fall River, Holyoke, Northampton, and Roxbury, Mass.
· East Lansing and Jackson, Mich.
· Hennepin County, Minn.
· Blue Springs, St. Joseph, and University City, Mo.
· Henderson, Nev.
· Jersey City, Passaic County, and Trenton, N.J.
· Binghamton, Onondaga County, and Stony Point, N.Y.
· Greensboro and Onslow County, N.C.
· Dickinson, New England, and Richardton, N.D.
· Greensburg, Marietta, Newtown Borough, and Northampton, Pa.
· Corpus Christi and Port Arthur, Texas
· Roanoke, Va.
· Kelso and Olympia, Wash.
· Burlington, Vt.
· Cheyenne, Wyo.

This announcement marks the second round of Building Blocks assistance. Thirty-two other communities were named in the first round in April 2011. EPA selected the 56 communities from 350 applicants through a competitive process in consultation with EPA’s regional offices, HUD, DOT, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

More information on the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/buildingblocks.htm

More information on the Partnership for Sustainable Communities: http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov