EPA Selects Greening America's Capitals Competition Winners

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will provide technical assistance to help five capital cities develop green infrastructure that will contribute to greener, more vibrant neighborhoods and increase resiliency from the impacts of our changing climate. EPA selected the following cities for this year’s Greening America’s Capitals program through a national competition: Austin, Texas; Carson City, Nev.; Columbus, Ohio; Pierre, S.D.; and Richmond, Va.

EPA will work with each city to provide design assistance that will make improvements in specific neighborhoods. Each project will focus on incorporating green infrastructure by using vegetation, soils and natural processes to manage storm water. Green infrastructure can help cities realize numerous benefits for people and the environment.

 EPA will provide assistance for the following projects:

• Austin, Texas, will receive assistance to create design options to improve pedestrian and bike connections in the South Central Waterfront area, and to incorporate green infrastructure that reduces storm water runoff and localized flooding, improves water quality, and increases shade.
• Carson City, Nev., will receive assistance to improve William Street, a former state highway that connects to the city’s downtown. The project will help the city explore how to incorporate green infrastructure through the use of native plants, and to enhance the neighborhood’s economic vitality.
• Columbus, Ohio, will receive assistance to develop design options for the Milo-Grogan neighborhood that use green infrastructure to improve storm water quality, reduce flooding risks and encourage walking and cycling.
• Pierre, S.D., will receive assistance to redesign its historic main street, South Pierre, in a way that uses green infrastructure to reduce storm water runoff and improve resiliency to extreme climate conditions.
• Richmond, Va., will receive assistance to design options for more parks and open spaces, and to incorporate green infrastructure to better manage storm water runoff on Jefferson Avenue, a street which serves as the gateway to some of Richmond’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods.

Source: EPA