The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking for a few good partners.
The EPA is ramping up its Sustainable Skylines program and will be soliciting national applications from all levels of the community at the end of this month. They are seeking multiple-project (at least five) programs that maximize corporate involvement and whose focus is increasing air quality. You may think that there may be a hefty grant award tied to the grant fundings, however, the EPA is mainly doling out funds as seed money to get the area's projects off the ground, running.
Take Florence County as an ideal candidate: air quality approaching the national standards, so we certainly need help; a medium sized community, we are the Pee Dee hub for industry, commercial business and transportation, but not a Columbia, Charleston nor Myrtle Beach in size; a significant corporate presence, and growing with Heinz, Monster.com and QVC to name the newbies; and there already exists a significant partnership among the metropolitan planning organization (FLATS), Florence County and the City of Florence.
What more can EPA ask for?
Kansas City and the pilot project in Dallas, Texas, are one and two years into their three-year programs:
Kansas: http://www.epa.gov/region07/citizens/ssi.htm
Dallas: http://www.sustainableskylines.org/Dallas/home.html
Many similar projects could easily be integrated into a Sustainable Florence program such as idle-free areas around schools and hospitals, installation of solar systems, rebates for hybrid vehicle purchases, increased tree protection, water conservation efforts, and diesel engine upgrades.
Grant applications will most likely be due by the end of September.
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