brownfields & Superfunds Archives - Urban Waters Learning Network

Youth Engagement on the Rio Grande: A Refuge for the Neighborhood

February 9, 2017 | Taos, NM

The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, located in the South Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the first US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) refuge in the Southwest to be designated an “urban refuge.” With funding from the US EPA Urban Waters Program, Amigos Bravos partnered with area organizations to engage youth directly in water quality monitoring in the Rio Grande and adjacent irrigation ditches. Many of the youth had never seen the river before, much less interacted with it.

Albuquerque youth learn about stormwater and watershed health

Groundwork Elizabeth: Reconnecting the City and the River

January 11, 2017 | Elizabeth, NJ

The long-term vision for the Elizabeth River Trail project in Elizabeth, New Jersey is to connect people with the natural environment in the most densely populated region of the country. Through signage and service learning events, residents and visitors will learn about ecological restoration plans for the river and become environmental stewards of this valuable resource. Ultimately, the trail will tie into the regional network of greenways already established and under construction.

Groundwork Elizabeth Green Team students use a recently installed lookout point to view the Elizabeth River. Photo: Groundwork Elizabeth.

Brownfields for Beginners – What you need to know to kickstart your “Brownfield-for-Community-Benefit” project

November 8, 2016

This webinar was hosted by the Urban Waters Learning Network and recorded on Aug. 02, 2016 Are you working to reclaim urban waterways while occasionally bumping up against waterfront properties home to former industrial uses? Ever wonder how to get … Continued

Reawakened Beauty: Place-Based Learning on the Jordan River

June 23, 2016 | Salt Lake County, UT

In 2008, many Utah organizations came together to develop a long-range plan for the Jordan River that laid out a vision for a revitalized river corridor. The Jordan River Commission was created to spearhead this plan, and it has been successful in building partnerships with organizations now working together to implement this vision. These collaborations have led to a new public appreciation for the river corridor as a recreational amenity and opportunity for conservation, environmental education, and community building.

Jordan River, Salt Lake County, Utah. Photo: Jordan River Commission.

Urban Waters Outreach: Engaging Minority Audiences

February 9, 2016

Recorded webinar that presents inititives by three urban waters organizations that have succeeded in building trust and engagement among non-English speakers.

Multifaceted Methods Help Restore the Mystic River

January 28, 2016 | Arlington, MA

Momentum for improving the Mystic River got started in 1969 when various agencies and local planning departments published a report outlining plans to tackle the high levels of pollution and improve recreational opportunities on the Mystic River Reservation, a publicly-owned nature preserve. By the early 1980’s, greenways with bike and pedestrian trails started to be installed.

Environmental Justice for South Wilmington, Delaware

October 21, 2015

Flooding in South Wilmington neighborhood is a severe and well documented issue. South Wilmington is situated in a 100-year flood plain and surrounded on three sides by the Christina River. Knowing the extent of these issues, the City of Wilmington applied for and received funding in 2013 to repurpose three brownfields sites into a wetlands park in order to alleviate flooding.

Green Pattern Book Baltimore USDA

October 12, 2015

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Brownfields Federal Programs Guide

September 8, 2015

A guide of federal agencies and organizations with connections to brownfileds. Lists Programs that provide technical or financial assistance relevant to brownfield. Download this resource

Connecting Residents to Village Creek

June 2, 2015 | Birmingham, AL

Village Creek, which flows through the heart of Birmingham, was once considered one of the most polluted streams in Alabama. Today, thanks to the Freshwater Land Trust, and with significant support from the U.S. EPA, there is new hope. The Freshwater Land Trust has gathered together community, non-profit, city and business leaders who are working together to transform Village Creek into a community asset.

A River for All – Fighting for Environmental Justice and Health Equity in Seattle

March 26, 2015

In 2013 and after 12 years in the making, EPA released its Proposed Cleanup Plan for the Superfund site, starting the clock on a 105-day public review and comment period. This highly technical document recommended a mix of technologies for addressing the river’s toxic sediments and meeting the four objectives of the cleanup, which include protecting the health of people who consume seafood.

Greenways: The Urban Waters Experience

February 10, 2015

Recorded webinar presenting 3 successful efforts to convert brownfields and vacant city lots into parks, green spaces and greenways.

Rebranding a River and Reconnecting People to Nature

July 10, 2014

The City of Newark was built along the banks of the Passaic River. In 1983, the Ironbound neighborhood was one of the first in the nation to be designated as a “superfund site” for dioxin along the Passaic River.