The Environmental Protection Agency is requesting proposals for organizing a national smart growth conference to be held in early 2009. The agency plans to award a cooperative agreement for a multi-disciplinary event that focuses on a wide range of smart growth issues; attracts a diverse group of smart growth practitioners, researchers, and policymakers; and is cosponsored by numerous associations, organizations, and government entities interested in smart growth issues. The deadline for proposals is Jan. 11, 2008. For more information, link to the Request for Proposals. (12-3-07)

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A national pilot program to create a system for rating and certifying sustainable ``green’’ neighborhoods has signed 238 new developments to participate since it was launched in February 2007, according to the Council for the New Urbanism (CNU). The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Neighborhood Development, launched jointly by CNU, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is designed to encourage developers, planners, and local governments to construct sustainable, compact neighborhoods. The pilot system rates neighborhoods based on four categories: location and linkage; compact, complete, and connected neighborhoods; green construction and technology; and innovation and design. For more information, link to the LEED for Neighborhood Developments. (8-14-07)

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The Environmental Protection Agency announced that communities in six states will receive technical assistance with incorporating smart growth techniques into their future development. Each community will receive approximately $45,000 in direct assistance from a private sector team of national experts in policy analysis or public participation. The following communities were chosen: the Atlanta Regional Commission; California DOT; Denver; Greensboro, N.C.; Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky; and Valley Metro Transit with the cities of Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz. For more information, link to EPA’s Smart Growth Implementation Assistance website. (7-12-07)

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The Environmental Protection Agency presented developer Forest City Enterprises, Inc. with an Environmental Achievement Award for its redevelopment of the former Stapleton International Airport site in northeast Denver into an environmentally-friendly, mixed-use community. The agency cited the 4,700 acre development as a model sustainable community because of its use of compact, mixed-use development; pedestrian friendly neighborhoods; energy-efficient buildings; innovative stormwater management; parks and open space; recycling; and light pollution mitigation. For more information, link to the press release. (6-8-07)

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The Eastman Kodak Company, the Conservation Fund, and the National Geographic Society are accepting applications for the 2007 Kodak American Greenways Awards program. The program provides small grants intended to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout the country. Eligible applicants include local, regional, and statewide nonprofit community organizations. Applications for the 2007 awards are due June 15, 2007. For more information and to apply online link to The Conservation Fund's Kodak American Greenways Award Website. (6-6-07)

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The National Resources Defense Council has posted on its website a policy fact sheet on smart growth alternatives to conventional transportation. The fact sheet identifies problems with outdated transportation planning models that undervalue smart growth alternatives to traditional methods, and provides recommendations for building more livable communities. For more information, link to If You Build It, They Will Come. (6-5-07)

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The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy has launched a website to provide planners with a library of visual representations for communicating planning ideas. The website includes an indexed set of examples of visual tools accessible by subjects, scopes in time and space, and planning processes and tasks. The featured application in the library is based on planning in the Gulf Coast region after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but the templates are intended for use in planning practice generally. For more information, link to the Visual Tools for Planners website. (6-5-07)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced an awards program to recognize outstanding examples of community planning that implements smart growth and active aging principles. The agency will present the Commitment Award to communities that have developed and begun to initiate a plan to implement smart growth and active aging principles, while the Achievement Award will be given for “overall excellence in building healthy communities for active aging.’’ For more information, link to the Excellence in Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging awards website. (5-24-07)

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The American Planning Association has launched a new “Great Places in America” initiative to annually designate streets, parks, public spaces, and neighborhoods “of exceptional character, quality, and planning.” For 2007, APA requests suggestions of 10 Great Streets and 10 Great Neighborhoods to be recognized by the association during National Community Planning Month in October. In 2008 the program will be expanded to include Great Parks, Great Public Spaces, and Great Endangered Places. For more information, link to Great Places in America. (5-15-07)

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The Environmental Protection Agency issued a request for grant proposals to fund cooperative agreements between emergency response and local government officials, transportation experts, and developers seeking to design smart growth neighborhoods that meet both the needs for emergency response and smart growth street design principles. EPA expects to award $150,000 for Phase 1, with the possibility of additional funding of up to $500,000 over five years. Proposals are due June 15, 2007. For more information, link to the Smart Growth Streets and Emergency Response Request for Proposals. (4-30-07)

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