Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPR worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2018 to deliver its Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program in Wisconsin, Illinois, and New Mexico. This program provides quick, targeted community planning assistance on a wide variety of smart growth topics, such as green and complete streets, flood resilience, linking land use and water quality, and planning for infill development.
EPA had worked mostly with local governments since the program’s inception in 2011. However, 2018 brought a substantial change as EPA teamed up with the Institute of Museum and Library Services to provide Building Blocks technical assistance to museums and libraries. EPR helped the Environmental Protection Agency adapt the Building Blocks approach to be relevant to libraries and museums that express an interest in neighborhood revitalization and development.
EPR then delivered community planning assistance, through a 2-day workshop, to the following organizations on a wide range of topics that included affordable housing, walkability, and water quality.
- Riveredge Nature Center – Saukville, Wisconsin
- Triton College and the Oak Park Public Library – Oak Park, Illinois
- Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum – Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Illinois Joining Forces – Evanston and Chicago, Illinois
More information about EPA’s Building Blocks program can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/building-blocks-sustainable-communities