Chesapeake Bay Region Green Streets – Green Jobs – Green Towns Grants

On February 8, 2012, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the state of Maryland unveiled an expanded Green Streets-Green Jobs-Green Towns grant initiative. According to the coalition, the grants seek to help cities and towns in the Chesapeake Bay watershed accelerate greening efforts that improve watershed protection, community livability, and economic vitality.

At a recent meeting in Maryland, EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin heard from a group of mayors whose towns were Green Streets-Green Jobs grant recipients last year. The mayors discussed best practices and lessons learned in developing green infrastructure and green streets, focusing on economic development, energy efficiency and building sustainable communities.

The grant program is open to local governments and non-profit organizations in urban and suburban watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland, D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia who are interested in pursuing green streets, green infrastructure, and green jobs as part of their community or watershed planning.

Grant assistance up to $35,000 is available for infrastructure project planning and design, and up to $100,000 for implementation and construction. The strongest proposals will incorporate innovative green infrastructure and best management practices that maximize cost-effectiveness.

Projects selected will enhance sustainable watershed protection and green infrastructure stormwater management through low impact development practices, renewable energy use, local livability and green job creation. The request for proposals is available at www.cbtrust.org  with a deadline of March 9, 2012 for all applications.

The Green Streets-Green Jobs-Green Towns grant initiative will award more than $400,000 in 2012, double the funding from 2011. In April 2011, the Chesapeake Bay Trust announced the first-ever grant recipients of this Green Streets-Green Jobs partnership.  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.

For more information on the Green Streets grant program please visit cbtrust.org.

source: Chesapeake Bay Trust