News from the Network
- Register for Free Regional Workshops
- February Conference Call: Lessons from Ann Arbor’s Stormwater Utility
- Resources from January Call: Promoting Sustainability through the Zoning Ordinance in Grand Rapids
Resources
- Cultivating Clean Energy on Brownfields
- EPA Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Financing Program Decision Tool and Guide
- Interactive Greenhouse Gas Emissions Map Tool
- New Report on Environmental Benefits of Building Reuse
Community News
- Woodward Avenue Communities Launch Sustainability Partnership
- Green Oak Township Receives SEMCOG Sustainability Award
- Burton to install LED lighting
- Hazel Park, Southgate and Ypsilanti Collaborate on Climate Action Planning
- City of Auburn Hills Releases Promotional Video
Register for Free Regional Workshops
The goal of the 2012 regional workshops is to provide a venue for regional communication and collaboration opportunities between municipalities and non-profit organizations. During these half-day regional workshops you will:
- Learn about current projects in your region
- See the newest tools available
- Network with neighboring communities and non-profit partners to start partnerships
- Tour local state-of-the-art energy demonstration centers
There is no fee to register. However, space is limited; please register by Friday, February 10, 2012. Find the workshop closest to your community and register here.
Northern Michigan Green Communities Workshop
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Time: 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM, Lunch Provided, Optional Tour to follow
Location: The Energy Center at Northwestern Michigan College, 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49686
Western Michigan Green Communities Workshop
Date: Friday, February 17, 2012
Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Lunch Provided, Optional Tour to follow
Location: Michigan Alternative & Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) at Grand Valley State University
200 Viridian Drive, Muskegon, MI 49440
Southeastern Michigan Green Communities Workshop
Date: Friday, February 24, 2012
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM, Lunch Provided, Optional Tour to follow
Location: NextEnergy, 461 Burroughs, Detroit, Michigan 48202
Please note: These workshops aim to bring together governmental and non-profit organizations for regional conversation. Registration applications will be accepted with priority placed on diversity of perspectives and expertise. You will receive a registration confirmation via email after registration. If you have any questions or comments, please email antchan [at] umich.edu.
February Conference Call: Lessons Learned from a Stormwater Utility
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
10am
Call in: 734-794-6099
Bridge: 43720
Ann Arbor charges residents for stormwater management based on the amount of hard, impervious surface area on each owner’s property. Join us for the February conference call where we’ll hear from Jennifer Lawson, Ann Arbor’s Water Quality Manager, about lessons learned from Ann Arbor’s stormwater utility. Following Jennifer's presentation, participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and share updates from their communities.
Resources from January Call: Promoting Sustainability through the Zoning Ordinance in Grand Rapids
Landon Bartley and Suzanne Schulz from the City of Grand Rapids Planning Department presented on how Grand Rapids' zoning ordinance was revised to promote sustainability by updating parking requirements, landscaping and stormwater management practices, and enabling renewable energy. View notes from the call.
Following the call, Grand Rapids shared these resources that were helpful in their ordinance update process.
Cultivating Clean Energy on Brownfields
The National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals (NALGEP) has released a primer entitled Cultivating Green Energy on Brownfields: A Nuts and Bolts Primer for Local Governments to aid local governments in investigating whether renewable energy development may be the right choice for brownfields in their communities. It includes an overview of renewable energy options, tools for navigating the economic issues that determine project feasibility, information on the permitting, zoning, liability and other regulatory issues that affect the development of renewable energy projects on these sites, and suggestions for ways to promote the development of renewable energy on brownfield sites. Learn more.
EPA Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Financing Program Decision Tool and Guide
EPA's State and Local Climate and Clean Energy Program launched of a new online Financing Program Decision Tool and a Financing Program Decision Guide to help communities finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The Financing Program Decision Tool is designed for state and local staff in the early stages of choosing a clean energy financing program. Answer a handful of simple questions, and the Tool highlights quickly the most promising program options for your jurisdiction to pursue. The Financing Program Decision Guide complements the Tool. This Guide includes the basics on financing-program options, as well as key considerations and factors for states and communities to weigh as they start up or expand their clean energy financing programs. Access the Financing Program Decision Tool and Financing Program Decision Guide.
Interactive Greenhouse Gas Emissions Map Tool
For the first time, comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) data reported directly from large facilities and suppliers across the country are now easily accessible to the public through EPA’s GHG Reporting Program. EPA’s interactive GHG Map Tool allows users to view and sort GHG data for calendar year 2010 from more than 6,700 facilities in a variety of ways—including by state, county, facility, industrial sector, and the type of GHG emitted. This information can be used by communities to identify nearby sources of GHGs, help businesses compare and track emissions, and provide information to state and local governments. Learn more.
New Report on Environmental Benefits of Building Reuse
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has released a new report entitled, “The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse.” The study concludes that building reuse almost always offers environmental savings over demolition and new construction. Moreover, it can take between 10 and 80 years for a new, energy-efficient building to overcome, through more efficient operations, the negative climate change impacts that were created during the construction process. However, care must be taken in the selection of construction materials in order to minimize environmental impacts; the benefits of reuse can be reduced or negated based on the type and quantity of materials selected for a reuse project. The report provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of the potential environmental impact reductions associated with building reuse. Learn more.
Woodward Avenue Communities Launch Sustainability Partnership
Five Woodward Avenue communities, in conjunction with Oakland County, have launched a partnership to examine sustainability issues. The five communities of Berkley, Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak and Huntington Woods were selected to participate in the project based on their history of collaboration. Read more.
Green Oak Township Receives SEMCOG Sustainability Award
Green Oak Township has been recognized for maintaining fiscal responsibility while protecting the local environment by southeast Michigan’s regional planning organization. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments has awarded Green Oak Township with SEMCOG’s Sustainable Community Recognition Program Award. Read more.
Burton to install LED lighting
LED lights will go up in the city's governmental buildings with a $44,582 grant from the state's Energy Office. The grant is coming via funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and it will be used to the city to install light emitting diodes throughout buildings and parking lots of City Hall, Department of Public Works and Public Safety Administration buildings. Read more.
Hazel Park, Southgate and Ypsilanti Collaborate on Climate Action Planning
The Cities of Hazel Park, Southgate and Ypsilanti are creating local climate action plans with assistance from the Michigan Suburbs Alliance and WARM Training Center. In addition, MSA is developing a model process toolkit to empower other small cities to pursue climate action planning in their communities. The three cities have collected and begun to analyze emissions data, researched strategies, and begun community outreach. Through a public, community-driven planning process, each city will define its own goals and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve a more prosperous, equitable, and environmentally-friendly future. Each city will benefit from the knowledge and best practices shared between the three communities. By the end of September 2012, Hazel Park, Southgate and Ypsilanti will have adopted final climate actions plans and kicked off implementation. Read more.
City of Auburn Hills Releases Promotional Video
The City of Auburn Hills, in partnership with the Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce, released a video celebrating the community’s economic vitality, public-private partnerships, and competitiveness. See the video.
Have a story you'd like to share? Send press releases and news stories to Laura Matson (lmatson@a2gov.org) to include in the next issue.
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About Michigan Green Communities
Michigan Green Communities is a network of local government and university staff in the state of Michigan that collaborate with one another, through peer learning and information sharing, to promote innovative solutions and move sustainability initiatives forward at the local, regional, and state level.
For questions or more information about MGC, contact Jamie Kidwell (jkidwell@a2gov.org), Luke Forrest (lforrest@mml.org), or Laura Matson (lmatson@a2gov.org).
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