IMAGE from the NY TIMES: James Rajotte for The New York Times. "The sun sets over the Madrid Rio park."
CLICK HERE for the NY Times Article.
Madrid Rio, a park still under construction in Madrid, is transforming the Spanish capital and its waterfront. The park is over six miles long and is reviving a stretch of the Manzanares River by taking over land that was once occupied by highways. The highways have been torn down and redirected around or under the park so that the new public space filled with bike paths, playgrounds, fountains, and a wading pool called “the beach” could be created. The park connects the city back with the river as well as reconnecting neighborhoods that were separated by the old highway.
Hopes that many American cities will transform abandoned and disenfranchised urban areas to public use have become more tangible with the success of projects like the Madrid Rio. Cities affected by population decline and highways that cut right through neighborhoods can use the Madrid Rio as a template to bolster economic activity and make refurbished communities more attractive. Urban revitalization by reclaiming industrial areas to natural states may be the way of the future for many American cities that will need to redefine themselves due to industrial and population decline. The impact of building green, public spaces in urban cities is massive especially for its residents; as Madrid official, Ms. Martinez, states: “Now people who opened their windows to the sound of cars, open their windows to the sound of birds”.
Kimmelman, Michael. “In Madrid’s Heart, Park Blooms Where a Freeway Once Blighted”. The New York Times. 26 December, 2011.
Meghan Karlik
Project Manager
IMRivers
mkarlik@vertices.com
On Wednesday, December 21, 2011, the Obama administration announced a mandate for power plants to reduce emissions. Over the next five years, power plants will have to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxins by about 90%.
CLICK HERE to read the full NY Times article.
Editorial. “Toward Healthier Air”. The New York Times. 21 December, 2011.
Meghan Karlik
Project Manager
IMRivers
mkarlik@vertices.com
IMAGE from the NY TIMES: C.M. Glover for The New York Times, Repairing a Water Main Break in Norwich, Conn.
Click Here for the NY Times article
The American Society of Civil Engineers has recently reported on the condition of the United States’ community-based-drinking-water systems and public wastewater treatment facilities. Unless the systems are improved and modernized serious problems could arise in future years. The drinking-water systems are aging and rusting while the wastewater treatment facilities fail so often that 900 billion gallons of untreated sewage are discharged each year.
It is estimated by the EPA that to modernize the county’s water systems would cost $91 billion, but only $35 million is available. Not only does this pose a public health and environmental concern but also an economic problem. Thousands of jobs are directly related to the availability and quality of water such as wineries and chemical plants. Because water service infrastructure is located below ground it is easy to not notice the deterioration. But when the systems break it also causes huge damage to roadways and other public infrastructure.
A possible solution? Put public municipal infrastructure in the hands of private companies who often can borrow money for repairs at more favorable interest rates than local or state governments.
Barringer, Felicity. “Oh Danny Boy, the Pipes, the Pipes Are Failing”. The New York Times. 20 December, 2011.
Meghan Karlik
Project Manager
IMRivers
mkarlik@vertices.com
The US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Justice has recently announced a grant opportunity. The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program has $1 million in funding to support grants of $25,000 each.
The awards will go to programs that support activities designed to educate, empower, and enable communities to understand environmental and public health issues and to identify ways to address these issues at the local level. The ultimate goal of the Environmental Justice Small Grant program is to create awareness about environmental justice concerns and partnerships within communities that will improve local environments in the future.
The focus of the EJSG is to continue aid to communities that support the EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s top priorities:
- Improving air quality
- Managing chemical risks
- Cleaning up hazardous-waste disposal sites
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Protecting America’s water
Eligible applicants must be:
- Incorporated non-profit organizations (such as: environmental justice networks, faith based organizations and those affiliated with religious institutions)
- Federally recognized tribal governments
- Tribal organizations
The proposals are due on 29 February, 2012.
Please visit the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Page (CLICK HERE) for more information about the Request for Proposal and past grant awards.
Meghan Karlik
Project Manager
IMRivers
mkarlik@vertices.com
Make sure to check the EPA Urban Water Small Grants website frequently for grant updates, helpful information, and to register for webinars designed to help you complete the grant proposal! There is also a newly posted list of Frequently Asked Questions related to this grant opportunity that could help you as you work through the proposal.
For more information or for help in completing your grant proposal, you can contact IMRivers at gis@vertices.com.
Nicola Mammes
Research Assistant
IMRivers
nicola.mammes@vertices.com
Urban Waters Small Grants Proposal due January 23, 2012
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set aside between $1.8 to $3.8 million to fund projects throughout the United States that are work to restore urban waters by “improving water quality and supporting community revitalization” as part of the EPA’s Urban Waters program.
As stated by the grant proposal guidelines, the goal of the Urban Waters Small Grants program is to “fund research, studies, training, and demonstration projects that will advance the restoration of urban waters by improving water quality through activities that also support community revitalization and other local priorities such as public health, social and economic opportunities, general livability and environmental justice for residents.” Projects eligible for funding include:
- Education and training for water quality improvement or green infrastructure jobs
- Public education about ways to reduce water pollution
- Local water quality monitoring programs
- Engaging diverse stakeholders to develop local watershed plans
- Innovative projects that promote local water quality and community revitalization goals
Information about Urban Waters Small Grants including the Request for Proposal (RFP) and registration links for the webinars is available at http://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding, and the EPA expects to award the grants in Summer 2012.
For more information on this project and for help with developing grant proposals, contact gis@vertices.com.
Nicola Mammes, VERTICES
Research Assistant
Center for Community Mapping
nicola.mammes@vertices.com
The next annual River Rally Conference will be held in Portland, Oregon. For more information and to register, click here.
Nicola Mammes, VERTICES Intern and Community Mapping Coordinator
Center for Community Mapping
nicola.mammes@vertices.com
Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, IBM, and Clarkson University in Potsdam are to create the intelligent systems and cyber-infrastructure technologies required for real-time water monitoring for the Hudson River. Called the River and Estuary Observatory Network (REON), it will be the first environmental monitoring system for rivers and estuaries. The sensor network will help researchers understand what’s happening in the ecosystem and help clarify the human and natural impacts on the environment.
For more information, click here.
Source: Geospatial World; PoughkeepsieJournal.com; NY State Assembly
Picture from: Wikipedia
Sachiye Day, VERTICES Intern. sachiye@vertices.com
Dr. Im, the founder of IMrivers and Director for the Center for Community Mapping, gave a presentation at the National River Rally Conference in North Charleston, South Carolina, on “Utilizing Google Maps/Earth with Social Media” this past weekend. For more information on the conference, click here.
Nicola Mammes, VERTICES Intern and Community Mapping Coordinator
Center for Community Mapping
nicola.mammes@vertices.com
Our current project here at IM Rivers, mapping stormwater outfall pipes on the Raritan River, is very important to us. We are learning about this river everyday with the help of a local organization, the Sustainable Raritan River Initiative. Their website has a wealth of information about the Raritan River including information about the basin, clean up efforts, sustainable Raritan River action agenda, news and events, pictures, along with a wealth of resources and data. It is committed groups like these that will save our rivers for future use and recreation. Check out their website and keep checking back for updates!
Photo taken by Dr. Wansoo Im
Scott Jablonski, VERTICES Intern
