EPA Region 7

Communities Information Digest

September 4, 2015

Welcome to the latest EPA Region 7 Digest!

The purpose of the EPA Region 7 Communities Information Digest is to provide
communities in the 4-state region and other interested areas the latest news,
webinars, conferences, funding, and other community-based activities going on in the
region and country related to human health and the environment. (An * Indicates a
new post.)
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Headlines
*EPA to Begin Next Round of Residential Yard Cleanups in Late September at Former United Zinc Superfund Site in Iola, Kansas
EPA Region 7 expects to begin its next round of residential yard soil remediation work during the week of September 21 at the Former United Zinc and
Associated Smelters Superfund Site in Iola, Kansas. EPA began testing residential soil for lead contamination at the site in 2006. A total of approximately
2,500 residential properties at the site have now been tested. About 1,050 of these properties have lead in soil above 400 ppm, and approximately 350 of the
1,050 properties have lead above 800 ppm. Levels above 400 ppm are considered unsafe for children six years of age or younger.
*EPA Proposes Rules to Improve Hazardous Waste Management and Better Protect our Waterways
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing two new hazardous waste rules to strengthen environmental protection while reducing regulatory
burden on businesses. One of the proposed rules will protect waterways, including drinking and surface water, by preventing the flushing of hazardous waste
pharmaceuticals and simplify the requirements for healthcare workers. The other rule will provide greater flexibility to industry while requiring new safeguards
to protect the public from mismanagement of hazardous waste.

*Environmental Policy Dialogue Between the US EPA and Ministry of the Environment of Japan Joint Statement On August 24th, the Administrator of
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy, and the Minister of Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Yoshio Mochizuki, met in Tokyo, Japan
for a high-level bilateral dialogue. At the conclusion of the dialogue, Administrator McCarthy and Minister Mochizuki announced a common view to enhance
bilateral and regional environmental collaboration related to mercury, climate change, regional air quality, environmental education, decontamination, childrens
environmental health, and environmental impact assessment.
Clean Power Plan Released
President Obama unveiled the final version of the Clean Power Plan - the strongest action ever taken in the United States to combat climate change. President
Obama believes we have a moral obligation to act by not leaving future generations a planet that is damaged. While aiming to slash carbon emissions by a
third by 2030, this plan will also keep energy affordable and reliable, and support innovation which will lead to a strong clean-energy economy.

*Call for Comments: Federal Interagency Strategic Plan for Environmental Justice Due September 25
As a convener of the Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice, EPA is asking for public comment on the draft FY 2016-2018 Action
Agenda Framework. The Framework is the EJ IWG's three year strategic plan to advance environmental justice. Stakeholders and the general public can
review the Framework and submit comments through September 25, 2015
Environmental Sustainability Grant Program Due October 20
The goal of the National Science Foundation's Environmental Sustainability Program is to promote sustainable engineered systems that support human wellbeing and that are also compatible with sustaining natural systems. The program supports engineering research that seeks to balance society's need to
provide ecological protection and maintain stable economic conditions.

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Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program Due Dates Vary by State
Placemaking Micro-Grant from the National Association of Realtors Applications accepted on a rolling basis
Calendar of 2015 EPA Grant Opportunities
Climate-Related Funding Opportunities Compiled by the Florida Climate Institute
HUD CDBG Disaster Recovery Assistance
USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) Call Rural Development State Office for Due Dates
USDA Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) Contact Local USDA Service Center
NOAA Climate Program Office Releases 2016 Funding Opportunities: Full Applications

September 1-30: Registration for Fourth Annual Campus RainWorks Challenge

September 11: EPA's Clean Air Excellence Awards Applications Due
September 14: BLM Funding for Comprehensive Trails Education, Data and Information

September 14: Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants Program
September 15: Gulf of Mexico Program Cooperative Agreements 2015

September 15: Local Foods, Local Places Technical Assistance

September 17: NOAA Climate Program Office Releases 2016 Funding Opportunities: Full Applications
September 30: FWS Coastal Program
September 30: USDA Announces Funding to Assist with Organic Certification Costs

September 30: EDA Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization Initiative
October 1: National Tribal Environmental Action for Childrens Health (TEACH) Interest Form
October 1: Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program
October 2: National Science Foundation: Coastal Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability

October 7: MAPP - NOAA Climate Test Bed - Accelerating Transition of Research into Operations
*October 15: American Public Power Association: DEED Funding Opportunities for Students
October 15: National Science Foundation: Paleo Perspectives on Climate Change program
October 16: HHS NIH Asthma Empowerment Collaborations to Reduce Childhood Asthma Disparities

October 20: Environmental Sustainability Grant Program

October 20: National Science Foundation: Environmental Engineering
*November 12: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize

November 24: The Rockefeller Foundation 100 Resilient Cities Challenge

December 15: RISA competition for the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions only

Meetings, Conferences, Training, & Events

Calendar of Events Related to Climate Change and Water
This page includes conferences, meetings, webinars, workshops and training opportunities related to climate change and water. Let us know if you have
information to add by emailing us the details of the event.

September 9-10: National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) Public Meeting Arlington, VA
September 14-15: Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge Wetland Restoration Workshop #1 Seymour, IN
September 14-16: Old Trails and New Directions 2015 Missouri Recycling Association Conference Kansas City, MO

*September 15: 2015 Funding Economic Development & Land Revitalization through Brownfields Workshop Grinnell, IA
*September 15-17: Smart Cities Week Washington D.C.
*September 15-17: National Recreation and Parks Association 2015 Conference Las Vegas, NV
September 16-17: Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge Wetland Restoration Workshop #2 Seymour, IN

September 16-18: First International Conference on Surface Transportation System Resilience to Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events

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September 16-18: First International Conference on Surface Transportation System Resilience to Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events
Washington, DC
*September 17: 2015 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement award ceremony Washington, D.C.

September 25-17: 2015 National Open Streets Summit Atlanta, GA

September 26: National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day 10a.m.-2p.m.
*September 26-30: 2015 Water Environment Federations Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference Chicago, IL

September 27-30: ICMA Annual Conference Seattle, WA

September 28-October 4: British Columbia Wildlife Federation's Wetlands Institute Kelowna, British Columbia
September 30: Transit-Oriented Development Training Las Vegas, NV
September 30: Urban Land Institute Fall Meeting, Oct. 5-8 San Francisco

*October 1-3: CityWorks Xpo Roanoke, VA

October 6-7: Growing Sustainable Communities Conference Dubuque, IA

October 7: Walk to School Day 2015

*October 7-9: WaterSmart Innovations Conference 2015 Las Vegas, NV
October 8: Solar Decathlon 2015 Irvine, CA
October 18-20: Renewable Energy Markets 2015 Washington D.C.
October 18-21: Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference (BECC) Sacramento, CA

*October 20: Free Brownfields Workshop Lincoln, NE

October 24-27: NADO Annual Training Conference New Orleans, LA
*October 25-28: Rail~volution 2015 Dallas, TX

October 27-29: Policy Links Equity 2015: The National Summit Los Angeles, CA
*October 28-30: 2015 National Walking Summit Washington, D.C.
*October 28-31: NACTO Designing Cities conference Austin, TX
*November 3-6: National Trust for Historic Preservations PastForward Conference Washington, D.C.
*February 11-13, 2016: New Partners for Smart Growth Conference Portland, OR
*April 4-6: Local Solutions Eastern Regional Climate Conference Baltimore, MD
*April 5-7: National Safe Routes to School Conference Columbus, OH
*Accepting Proposals September 8-October 30
May 20-23, 2016: River Rally 2016 Mobile, AL

Webinars, Conference Calls, & Twitter Chats

*LeanPath presents 5 Food Waste Myths to Debunk Now! on-demand
This webinar will explore 5 myths about food waste and the facts you need to debunk them in your kitchen.
*Student Curriculum: Recipes for Healthy Kids, and a Healthy Environment Lesson plans available to download now
This nine-lesson program is designed to encourage kids to actively explore the environments in which they live and play. Each 45-minute lesson empowers
kids to take steps in their everyday lives to improve the environment for their communities and reduce their environmental risk.

*Help Shape the Federal Interagency Strategic Plan for Environmental Justice September 1, 12-1:00PM CST
Audiences are encouraged to participate and may request additional informational sessions if needed. Participation in the webinars is not required to submit
comments. Comments should be sent to ejstrategy@epa.gov.
*Models 101 for Building Owners, Managers and Tenants: Strategies for Using Iterative Energy Models to Drive Project Savings September 8,
2-3:00CST
This webinar shares strategies and resources that building owners, managers, and tenants can use to transform the energy model from a one-time report
(provided at the end of design) to an iterative tool that can be used throughout the design process to drive energy savings.
*DOE Overview of the Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center September 9, from 2:00-3:30 CST
During this webinar representatives from the Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative and CEMAC will discuss the Center, the techno-economic methods at the
core of the Center's mission, and opportunities for partnership. There will also be time for questions from participants.
*DOE Superior Energy Performance webinar: HARBEC SEP Experience September 9, 1-2:00 CST
Webinar will highlight the successes of facilities that have achieved Superior Energy Performance (SEP) program certification. These facilities have fully
implemented the ISO 50001 standard and have been independently verified to have improved their energy performance significantly, with some facilities
achieving up to 30% improvement over three years.
Clean Power Plan Webinar September 9, 12-1:30 PM CST
EPA is pleased to invite you to participate in a webinar for communities that will discuss the Clean Power Plan and the first -ever national standards that

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EPA is pleased to invite you to participate in a webinar for communities that will discuss the Clean Power Plan and the first -ever national standards that
address carbon pollution from power plants. This webinar will also focus on what communities need to know about the Clean Power Plan.
Missouri Risk-Based Corrective Action Webinar September 9, 10-11 AM CST
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Hazardous Waste Program, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, will
hold a webinar regarding plans to update the Missouri Risk-Based Corrective Action guidance and Tier 1 Risk-Based Target Levels.

*Webinar: Health Benefits of Green Infrastructure, Sept. 10 September 10, 2-4:00 CST
This webinar from the American Planning Association will discuss the health benefits of green infrastructure and how to incor porate health considerations into
green infrastructure plans and projects.
*From Managing Waste to Managing Materials: Implementing Oregons 2050 Vision September 15, 11:30-1 CST
In this webinar, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality thought leaders and practitioners will summarize the bills and de scribe the extensive stakeholder
process that led to legislative successes, DEQs implementation plans, as well as highlight new work and research.

APR Resources to Support Domestic Plastic Recycling Markets September 15

APRs primary goal is to increase the amount of material available for recycling. This webinar will detail a variety of resources available to the industry, state
and local recycling officials, as well as the general public to support the expansion of domestic plastic recycling markets a nd generate more supply.
*Help Shape the Federal Interagency Strategic Plan for Environmental Justice September 16 2-3:00PM CST
Audiences are encouraged to participate and may request additional informational sessions if needed. Participation in the webinars is not required to submit
comments. Comments should be sent to ejstrategy@epa.gov.
*Distributed Wind Industry Update September 16, 2-3:00 CST
This webinar will provide updates on the distributed wind market, present highlights from the recently published 2014 Distributed Wind Market Report, walk
attendees through the latest updates to the free, online Distributed Wind Policy Comparison Tool, and summarize distributed wind's inclusion in the Energy
Department's Wind Vision.

*Pollution Solution: How to Create IAQ Policies, Plans and Practices to Control Pollutant Sources in Your School District September 17 12-1:30
CST
The webinar will explore the importance of preventing IAQ issues and problems before they start by aggressively and comprehen sively controlling pollutant
sources.
*September Grants Award Process Webinar September 17, 1:00 CST
The webinar will last about an hour and cover grants topics, including: how to find and apply for grant opportunities; EPAs Grants.gov requirement; and
preparing a proper budget detail.
*Changing How We Think About Our Resources for a Better Tomorrow: How to Donate Surplus Food from K -12 Schools September 17, 12-1:30
CST
This U.S. EPA-hosted webinar will show K-12 schools how to improve their bottom line, feed hungry people, and reduce wasted food by learning from schools
engaged in surplus food donation from school cafeterias. The USDA will also clarify its food donation policy and the legal implications of surplus food
donation.

*How to Apply for the ENERGY STAR September 22, 12:00PM CST
*Portfolio Manager 101 September 23, 12:00PM CST
Join us as we introduce and demonstrate the core functionality of EPAs ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Attendees will learn how to:
navigate Portfolio Manager add a property and enter details about it; enter energy and water consumption data; and generate template performance
reports to assess progress
*Portfolio Manager 201 September 29, 12:00PM CST
Continue to learn about EPAs ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool, with a deeper dive into more advanced functionalities such as: editing
property data; correcting and updating property use details; using the data quality checker; and sharing property data.

*Portfolio Manager 301 September 30, 12:00 CST

With a good background on the basic functionality of EPAs ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool, learn about some advanced features including:
using spreadsheet upload templates to update property data; setting goals and targets to plan energy improvements for propert ies; creating custom
reports; and using the Sustainable Buildings Checklist.
*Working with Utilities: Effective Paths for Tribal Governments September 30, 12-1:30 PM CST
Tribal utility formation is a growing trend, and while it can offer significant benefits to tribes, it is a formidable task. Many tribes are taking the alternative
approach of working with host utilities to get better service and more benefits. At the same time, recognizing the growing tr end, utilities have established
excellent working relationships with tribal governments in their service areas.
Keep Your Caps On! A 2015 Update October 27
Due to an ever growing demand for material by plastic reclaimers, APR continues to support the Caps On message. Historically, the perception has been
that the best way to recycle a plastic bottle is with the cap off. This webinar will give an update on this initiative, address the common concerns surrounding
the change, and provide resources to those communities to support this message.
Greater Kansas City Regional Water Quality Education Committee Presents the 2015 Center for Watershed Protection Webinars :
What to Do About Trashy Watersheds September 16, 12-1:30 p.m. CST
Learn from places that have been managing trash as part of local or regional TMDLs and some of the approaches that have been tried. Of course, this
webcast will feature a lot of trash-talking.
Checking in on Post-Construction Stormwater Management November 18, 12-1:30 p.m. CST
This webcast will explore innovations and trends in post-construction stormwater management, with MS4 case studies featuring program components
and budgets.
All webinars will be streamed at the Mid-America Regional Council Conference Center at 600 Broadway, Ste. 200, Kansas City, Missouri 64105.

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*The Obama Administration joins the rest of the country in reflecting on the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
HUD Secretary Julian Castro and President Barack Obama visited the Gulf Coast to mark the anniversary and highlight the remarkable recovery. Yesterday,
Secretary Castro toured Gulfport, Mississippi with Governor Phil Bryant to see the results of HUDs $5.4 billion investment in the restoration of Mississippis
hardest hit areas.
*$1 Billion in Energy Department Initiatives for Clean Energy Technologies
The Energy Department announced more than one billion dollars in initiatives to drive innovation and accelerate the clean energy economy. The Energy
Department's Loan Programs Office is making up to one billion dollars available to support commercial-scale distributed energy projects, such as rooftop solar
with storage and smart grid technology.
*Community Air Monitoring Training: Videos Now Available
July 9, 2015, EPAs Community Air Monitoring Training was held at the Agencys Research Triangle Park campus. The purpose of the training workshop was to
share tools used to conduct citizen science projects involving Next Generation Air Monitoring technology and to educate interested groups and individuals on
best practices for successful air monitoring projects. The videos from the mornings presentations are now available.
*Energy Department Awards up to $4 Million to Develop Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts
The Energy Department announced two additional projects selected to receive up to $4 million to develop next-generation biofuels that will help reduce the cost
of producing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels from biomass. Advancing and commercializing cost- competitive biofuels will help the Department work toward its
goal of reducing current petroleum consumption in the United States and, in turn, enhance U.S. national security and reduce carbon emissions.

*Now available: Community Air Monitoring Training videos

EPA hosted a training workshop to share tools and best practices for successful air monitoring projects with community groups and individuals interested in
citizen science. Videos of the training are now available for groups who want to learn more about monitoring air quality in their communities.
USDA Announces Available Funding for Farm Bill Broadband Loan Program Due September 30
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of loans to build broadband in rural areas, along with changes to the program required by
the 2014 Farm Bill. To be eligible for funding, an applicant must serve an area where at least 15 percent of the households are unserved. Applications with the
most unserved households will be processed first. The maximum loan amount under today's announcement is $20 million.
Climate Solutions University Now Accepting Applications for 2016
Climate Solutions University has helped more than 30 communities create adaptation plans that are ready for implementation. Your region is a good fit for the
program if you need to tackle the following challenges:
Social equity and the impact of climate change on vulnerable citizens
A regional approach to planning that integrates urban and rural linkages
Threats to watersheds, forest, and economic resources using an ecosystem services model
Community leaders of local government agencies; Watershed organizations and resource conservation districts; Nonprofits; and Civic organizations should
apply.

Apply for a Fruit Tree Planting Foundation Orchard in Your Community Ongoing
The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (FTPF) strategically donates orchards where the harvest will best serve communities for generations, including at
community gardens, public schools, city and state parks, low-income neighborhoods, and Native American reservations.
Project Learning Trees GreenWorks Grant Due September 30
Project Learning Tree is accepting applications for a school/community native plant garden, a forest improvement project, a streamside restoration plan, a
recycling program, or energy conservation project targeting students.
This digest is being provided by EPA Region 7 for informational purposes only.

This digest contains links to information, agencies, sites, and organizations outside of the EPA website.
EPA is not responsible for third party links. EPA does not endorse third party organizations or agencies.

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