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Tuesday, May 03, 2005
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Applications due Jun 13, 2005.
The Development, Community and Environment Division (DCED) in U.S. EPA's Office of Policy Economics and Innovation is issuing this request for initial proposals (RFIP). DCED focuses on growth and development issues of regional and national significance. Through its focus on growth that is protective of the environment, this solicitation supports EPA’s strategic objective to sustain, clean up, and restore communities and the ecological systems that support them (Objective 4.2 in EPA’s 2003-2008 Strategic Plan).
Smart growth development practices support integrated environmental management approaches that both protect local ecosystems and support ecologically compatible development. These practices support national environmental and public health goals by protecting sensitive watersheds, minimizing water quality impacts from development, reducing air emissions by increasing transportation choices, and encouraging cleanup and sustainable redevelopment of Brownfields.
11:46:01 AM Google It! 
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The latest issue of the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office's
Significant Activities Report is now available for viewing.
To view the report in HTML, visit http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/active/index.html. A PDF version of the report is available at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/active/2005/Mar2005.pdf.
Highlights of the March 2005 issue:
- Project Submissions Sought
- Biology Program Reviewed
- Recent Publications
- Toxics Strategy Meeting
- State of the Streams Meeting
- Coordinated Restoration Funding
[Via Deb Jacobson]
11:43:42 AM Google It!
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NOAA's Office of Education and Sustainable Development is soliciting 1- to 3-year proposals for environmental literacy projects. Funding is available to encourage the development of partnerships and to support existing, or foster growth of new, environmental literacy projects. This program has two funding priorities for FY05: (1) Partnerships that promote systemic change in NOAA-related science education, and (2) Innovative presentation of NOAA science and earth observing data through educational data visualizations and other educational tools. It is anticipated that final recommendations for funding under this announcement will be made in mid Calendar Year 2005, and that projects funded under this announcement will have a start date no earlier than September 30, 2005. Applications are due May 12, 2005. Visit http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.html for more information. Federal Funding Opportunity No.USEC-OESD-2005-2000118.
11:38:35 AM Google It!
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Streams and rivers around the world are in trouble -- more than a third of U.S. rivers are officially polluted or impaired. In hopes of reversing the damage, more than a billion dollars are now spent annually on river and stream restoration in the United States. And the number of restoration projects has increased by six-fold in the last decade.
But according to a major study to be published in the April 29 issue of Science, while river restoration has become a booming and profitable business, the United States does not have an adequate accounting system for the projects. Read more about the project at http://www.nrrss.umd.edu/.
11:37:39 AM Google It!
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This month's This Green Life deals with environmentally responsible lawn care.
11:35:18 AM Google It!
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The Great Lakes Commission sponsored a series of workshops throughout the Great Lakes states in 2004 to solicit public input on the development and implementation of priorities for ecosystem restoration. Details and proceedings for the individual workshops are provided on the web site.
10:52:29 AM Google It!
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Date: June 8, 2005
The day-long conference will feature a number of breakout sessions. Among those topics are crucial conversations, a program for improving interpersonal skills, enhancing civic engagement by keeping community members involved, and working at the grassroots.
One of the breakout sessions will include a panel of young leaders from elected positions and volunteer organizations.
Registration is $75 and can be completed online at the conference's web site located at: http://www.communitydevelopment.uiuc.edu, by sending email to Silvis at asilvis@uiuc.edu, or calling (217) 244-0120. The conference is limited to 175 participants and registration ends May 20.
10:44:41 AM Google It!
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Illinois Green Fleets under IEPA announced the Alternate Fuels Rebate Program. The program provides rebates for businesses, local governments, organizations, and individuals in the State of Illinois who acquire an alternate fuel vehicle, convert an existing conventional vehicle to an alternate fuel vehicle, or purchase domestic renewable fuel to operate an alternate fuel vehicle. The rebate types are:
- Original Equipment Manufacturer Vehicle Rebate - A rebate for the purchase of an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) alternate fuel vehicle or engine. The amount of rebate is up to 80% of the cost of the renewable fuel vehicle vs. a conventional fuel vehicle of the same type (up to $4,000).
- Conversion Rebate - A rebate for converting a conventional vehicle to operate with an alternate fuel.
- Fuel Cost Differential Rebate - A rebate for purchasing a domestic renewable fuel that helps to defray the additional costs associated with using a domestic renewable fuel in an alternate fuel vehicle during a calendar year. By definition, a domestic renewable fuel is a fuel composed of a minimum of 80% ethanol, 80% bio-based methanol, or other fuels derived from 80% biomass (e.g., 80% biodiesel).
The rebate application should be submitted to the Illinois EPA towards the end of the effective calendar year for which you are requesting a rebate. The amount of the rebate is up to $450 per vehicle each year for a consecutive three-year period.
10:40:06 AM Google It!
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Illinois DCEO has released a new grant application, which will provide funding to help fund new biogas system for livestock operations and municipal waste treatment facilities. Applications accepted beginning July 1, 2005.
10:37:29 AM Google It!
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Deadline: October 1, 2005
The Laura Jane Musser Fund seeks to assist public or not-for-profit entities in initiating or implementing projects in rural areas to undertake consensus-based activities in environmental stewardship or dispute resolution. Grants will be for amounts up to $35,000.
10:35:50 AM Google It!
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Recent research revealed 93 percent of Americans would be willing to change their lawn and garden activities if it would make a difference in the environment. [Source: Environmental Protection E-News]
10:30:55 AM Google It!
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Dates: June 20-23, 2005
Location: Orlando, FL
Ecobuild America is the nation's largest environmental systems technology conference and exhibition. At the conference, you can:
- Discover the latest green and sustainable building certification information
- Gain profitable tips from sustainable building techniques
- Access more than 100 state-of-the-art seminars and tutorials taught by architects, engineers and contractors
- Explore the latest green and sustainable building products and technologies
10:28:33 AM Google It!
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Includes a roundup of Smart Growth news; articles by Keith Schneider and Andy Guy on,
respectively, Great Lakes beach walking and water diversion; and big news on the Michigan Land Use Institute's Grassroots Support Center. [HTML | PDF]
10:25:05 AM Google It!
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The big money's behind an ambitious plan to build zero-emission power stations that burn coal or gas. [Source: New Scientist]
10:22:00 AM Google It!
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Google has plans to improve its news search results beyond just their date and search-term relevance, according to new patents. [Source: New Scientist]
10:20:53 AM Google It!
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A fuel cell designed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign can operate without a solid membrane separating fuel and oxidant, and functions with alkaline chemistry in addition to the more common acidic chemistry.
10:17:35 AM Google It!
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Using a new electrically-assisted microbial fuel cell (MFC) that does not require oxygen, Penn State environmental engineers and a scientist at Ion Power Inc. have developed the first process that enables bacteria to coax four times as much hydrogen directly out of biomass than can be generated typically by fermentation alone.
10:15:15 AM Google It!
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EPA will join others across the nation to celebrate American Wetlands Month in May, for the 15th year, with events highlighting the importance of protecting wetlands. The theme for the celebration is "It Pays to Save Wetlands" and focuses on the many economic values of wetlands, such as flood control and improving water quality. The calendar of nationwide events can be found at http://www.iwla.org/sos/awm/events.
10:14:34 AM Google It!
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A plan by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to reward or punish its scientists based on their ability to drum up paying customers has been withdrawn after a watchdog group complained that it would make the researchers "sing for their supper."
Author: Jeffrey Mervis [Science: This Week's News]
10:02:58 AM Google It!
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Via sustainablog:
From Green Car Congress, news that Brazil is opening another biodiesel plant, and President Lula da Silva "ants his country to become the largest supplier of renewable fuels in the world market. His administration is working to make biodiesel the second largest energy source in Brazil, following hydroelectric power." It's great to see poorer countries like Brazil making inroads into renewables. By noemail@noemail.org (Jeff McIntire-Strasburg). [sustainablog]
9:57:30 AM Google It!
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Via sustainablog:
Metaefficient points us to The Earth Sheltered House: An Architect's Sketchbook by Malcolm Wells, and also provides links to other resources. This is a subject particularly close to my heart, as my great-uncle started building these kinds of houses back in the late 70s. Unfortunately, he was ahead of the curve at that point, but it's good to see this idea resurging. Technorati tags: green By noemail@noemail.org (Jeff McIntire-Strasburg). [sustainablog]
9:56:35 AM Google It!
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Since the launch of Throwplace.com one year ago, thousands of people from all over the world have visited the site, searching for excess goods and surplus inventory listed for donation. [ENN Press News]
9:55:54 AM Google It!
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is looking to become the first zoo in the nation to be powered by its own animal waste - particularly the prodigious piles produced by its pachyderms.... [AP Top Science News At 9:54 a.m. EDT]
9:40:05 AM Google It!
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© Copyright
2005
Laura L. Barnes.
Last update:
10/25/2005; 12:10:04 PM.
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