U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY BVM: How are cities and towns in the U.S. embracing environmental sustainability ini- tiatives? How are businesses? What are some Best Practices? Benforado: “Many cities, in the U.S and abroad, increasingly consider social, economic, and environmental impacts in their planning and development. Cities are great real-world laboratories for applying environmental sus- tainability practices and testing innovative ideas, which can provide tangible benefits to residents. Many large U.S. cities are working hard on environmental sustainability issues that include housing, transportation, ener- gy, water, and waste. Some of the successful techniques used include hosting community dialogues, setting clear measurable goals, inte- grating approaches into strategic planning, and carefully managing implementation. In 2016, the U.S. National Academies of Sciences issued a report titled Pathways to Urban Sustainabil- ity: Challenges and Opportunities, which can serve as a sustainability road map for cities. One major recommendation is that every city prepare its own sustainability plan and build off strategies that have gotten results in other lo- cales, but also take unique local circumstances into account. Key lessons from this study in- clude: sustainability planning is needed at mul- tiple scales (from neighborhood to city to state, regional, national); that an overlooked planning priority is to reduce inequality; and that the rapid pace of societal and technological change should create a sense of urgency. “EPA’s Brownfield Program is an example of how EPA supports environmental sustainability. The Brownfields Program provides grants and technical assistance to communities, states, and tribes to clean up and reuse contaminated properties. Land revitalization puts previously contaminated properties back into productive use. Reusing cleaned up sites protects public health and the environment by preventing sprawl, preserving green space, and reinvigorat- ing communities. BVM: How can smaller cities and towns em- brace sustainability?