14 DAY TRIAL // The US Environmental Protection Agency is keen on improving the lives of people living in the US, since it is highly concerned about the current situation of urban waters in this country. Through its Urban Waters program, the organization will put $1.8m (€1.3m) on the table for the development of projects meant to raise water quality and back community revitalization.
Its official say appropriate funding is required to help authorities cope with a series of threats, like sources of water pollution coming from former industrial facilities, sewage and runoff from the streets. Moreover, EPA is certain that an unlimited access to healthy urban waters can improve the living standards currently displayed by local communities.
The subsidized projects have to come up with innovative methods of reducing water pollution, promoting water quality, convincing major players to engage efforts in local watershed plans or developing water quality monitoring projects.
EPA representatives will reveal more details regarding this amazing, eco-friendly opportunity of attracting funds during two web-based seminars on December 14th, 2011 and January 5th, 2012. EPA hopes to finish studying all the efficient initiatives and also select the winning one that will receive financial support by next year.
“EPA’s Urban Waters program supports the goals and principles of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, a partnership of 11 federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community‐led revitalization efforts to improve the nation’s water systems and promote their economic, environmental and social benefits,” note EPA officials in a press release.
The concept of “urban waters” refers to rivers, lakes, canals, bays, wetlands, estuaries and oceans, all of them representing key elements for human development and a valuable asset in improving green infrastructure.
EPA’s Urban Waters follows the same path adopted by Urban Waters Federal Partnership which gathers 11 federal agencies willing to improve living standards while focusing on ways of raising water quality, create new jobs and restore the balance of local communities.