In 2011, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated its Plan to Study the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources. EPA’s intent is to study the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, if any. EPA also wants to identify the driving factors that may affect the severity and frequency of drinking water resource impacts. EPA has designed the scope of the research around five stages of the hydraulic fracturing water cycle. Each stage of the cycle is associated with a primary research question: 1. Water Acquisition: What are the possible drinking water resource impacts of large volume water withdrawals from ground and surface waters? 2. Chemical Mixing: What are the possible drinking water resource impacts of hydraulic fracturing fluid surface spills on or near well pads? 3. Well Injection: What are the possible drinking water resource impacts of the injection and fracturing process?…
Sustainability
Please join the Common Wealth, Inc. on February 28th to learn more about 30 Mile Meal, a new regional food project. Natalie Woodroofe of the Athens County Visitors Bureau and Leslie Schaller of ACEnet will give a short luncheon presentation on the project. They will also unveil the 30 Mile Meal website, introduce additional media platforms, talk about events and discuss overall plans for this year! At lunch, businesses will be recognized that promote local farmers by using local products. If there is a restaurant, store or other business you would like to nominate, please forward the name, contact information and the local product used. At this time, there are nine partners committed to this project. If you are interested in becoming a partner and commit to doing so before February 28th, you will be recognized as a Founding Partner in all communications. Please use the contact information below to request a membership form. Meeting…
College Joins Project to Reduce Vehicle Emissions and Adopt Alternative Fuels FEB 11, 2013 Oberlin College has joined in a collaborative project with the city of Oberlin to improve energy efficiency and plan for alternative fuels for its fleet of vehicles. The city, along with Oberlin College and eight other local partners, recently applied for an $86,000 grant from the Local Government Innovation Fund. The city will select an independent consultant to develop fuel- and cost-saving strategies, and to assess the feasibility of alternative fuels. The project will result in action plans to reduce fuel costs and emissions by 15 percent over three years, as well as logistical and infrastructure plans for the shared use of alternative fuels — including compressed natural gas, propane, electric/hybrid, and biofuels. Fleet efficiency and alternative fuels are important measures toward achieving Oberlin’s goal of becoming the first climate positive city in the United States, says Oberlin…
The City of Cleveland Mayor’s Office of Sustainability is currently leading a community process to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP is crucial to implementing Mayor Jackson’s vision of making Cleveland more sustainable and addresses both the City’s internal operations as well as the broader community. The CAP will not only reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, but it will also acknowledge and plan for changes in climate that may affect all Clevelanders. The CAP is targeted for completion by July. The CAP is not a project in isolation, but will instead build upon many other related initiatives and achievements. These include the Sustainable Communities 2019 Action and Resources Guide released in 2010 at the 2nd Annual Sustainability Summit. The Office of Sustainability has implemented a two-pronged approach to the CAP: “top-down” and “bottom-up.” The top down component identifies what is feasible and affordable from a technology standpoint. The…
The Green Business Roundtable provides a platform for businesses, community members and public officials in the Stark County area to share information, best practices, and innovation toward improving sustainable business practices. Roundtable sessions are led by Green Business Expert, KIMBERLY W. BABCOCK, LEED AP ID+ C. Green Business Roundtable Spring Calendar February 12: Sustainability 101, Kimberly Whittington Babcock March 12: Measuring Sustainability, Bob Nappi, Director Human Resources and Facilities, North Canton Medical Foundation Lisa & Alan Frank, Owners, Ermanno’s Legendary Pizza April 9: Sustainable Community Relations, Christina Weyrick-Cooper, Community Relations Manager, North Canton Public Library May 14: Saving through Waste Management – Panel Discussion, Elaine Campbell, Grant and Development Director, Mercy Medical Center David Held, Director of STW Solid Waste Management and Mayor of North Canton Laura McElrath, Operations Director, Akron Marathon June 11: Energy Efficiency, Ryan Kopko, P.E., RKS Consulting & Commissioning July 9: Sustainability in Marketing, Joe Rosza,…
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, a NEOSCC Board Member, last month flipped the switch on solar panels turning a brownfield into community asset. From the Plain Dealer: Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Executive Director Jeffrey Patterson wanted to make a brownfield productive and enrich Cleveland’s struggling Kinsman neighborhood. He hit both targets with his plan to use six acres of brownfield as a solar farm to generate power for CMHA’s nearby three-story headquarters. The project will also improve a blighted area and provide some jobs to residents. Electricity should start flowing this month, making the housing authority the first in the country to have a solar farm, says Mike Shaut, CEO of Shaker Heights-based Carbon Vision, a key partner in the project. CMHA will pay nothing for this venture, which is expected to cost a little more than $3 million. Carbon Vision will lease the land from CMHA and own the solar farm for…
In the mid-19th century, industry flourished around the Morris Canal in Jersey City, New Jersey. As transportation technology improved, the canal was filled in and used as a corridor for freight rail and heavy trucks, which led to the establishment of more intensive industries and neighborhoods for workers in the area. By the mid-20th century, however, many industries had abandoned the city, leaving the areas near the canal with obsolete buildings, contaminated soil, and deteriorated neighborhoods. To address the neighborhood decline, Jersey City created the Canal Crossing Redevelopment Area and, in 2009, approved the Canal Crossing Redevelopment Plan. The plan calls for the 111-acre area to be redeveloped as a mixed-use, mixed-income, transit-oriented community designed in accordance with smart growth, new urbanism, and green building principles. The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) took a major step toward achieving the plan’s goals when it was awarded almost $2.3 million in a joint…
Over the next 6 months, Cleveland’s Bike Share Task Force will be taking a look at the feasibility of bike sharing and reviewing recommended business models for operating a system in the city. Building off of recent momentum in cycling and complete and green streets, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability issued a Request for Proposals in autumn 2012 and has contracted with Toole Design Group (TDG) as the lead consultant for this project. Bike Share Task Force: In anticipation of the feasibility study, the Bike Share Task Force formed to provide a platform to advise the project and to assist with stakeholder engagement. The Bike Share Task Force consists of representatives from many organizations who see the potential benefits of bike sharing in Cleveland: Mayor’s Office of Sustainability ClevelandCity Planning GreenCityBlueLake Institute Bike Cleveland Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Cleveland City Planning Commission Positively Cleveland Midtown Cleveland Ohio City Inc. Downtown Cleveland Alliance/Cleveland Bike Rack…
Sustainable Cleveland 2019 (SC2019) is a 10-year initiative launched by the City of Cleveland in 2009 that engages everyone to work together to design and develop a thriving and resilient Cleveland that leverages its wealth of assets to build economic, social and environmental well-being for all. Every year leading up to 2019, Cleveland will focus on one of the key areas fundamental to a sustainable economy. The Sustainable Cleveland Celebration Points are designed to be accessible to all members of the community — households, neighborhoods, businesses, and institutions can all participate, either in collaboration or independently. In celebrating 2013 as the Year of Renewable and Advanced Energy, SC 2019 is inviting everyone to attend launch party … The winds of change… come and join us. Learn how Advanced and Renewable Energy works in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Learn about solar, wind, hydrogen, fuel cells, bio-energy, energy efficiency and more! Stop by informational tables…
The Western Reserve Land Conservancy (www.wrlandconservancy.org) has recently completed Common Ground, a regional land protection report for northern Ohio. The Western Reserve Land Conservancy is a nonprofit conservation organization in Moreland Hills, dedicated to preserving the natural resources of northern Ohio. Common Ground is the first-ever collaborative look at conservation in Northeast Ohio. The report is the result of the efforts of the region’s conservation community over the past year. It will soon be released to additional conservation partners and to the public. Regional land conservation provides many benefits for Northeast Ohio. The ultimate objective of land conservation is to preserve the natural resources of the region that optimize quality of life for its inhabitants, including animals and plants as well as humans. Conservation protects existing open spaces, productive agricultural lands, ecologically-sensitive areas, and encourages more efficient land use within the existing development footprint. The ultimate vision of Western Reserve…