WASHINGTON (EPA) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invited communities on Sept. 19 to apply for technical assistance to foster sustainable growth in their area. Communities that adopt sustainable-growth strategies have been shown to expand economic opportunity and protect people’s health and the environment. EPA is offering assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program, which offers tools that can be applied in rural, suburban, and urban areas, including:

EPA is accepting letters of interest from communities interested in receiving direct assistance for projects that facilitate the use of green infrastructure to protect water quality.  Technical assistance will be provided through EPA contract support and will be directed to watersheds/sewersheds with significant water-quality degradation associated with urban stormwater.  The total EPA assistance available is approximately $950,000 and will be distributed among 10 to 20 projects. The value of the assistance available to each project will be approximately $50,000 to $100,000.