AWARE Update Oct. 2007

AWARE Colorado continues to visit communities around the state to inform local officials and others about tools and strategies to protect water quality. To learn more about the AWARE Colorado program or schedule a presentation click here.

Here are some new resources, articles and upcoming events.

• NEWS

Clear Creek Watershed Foundation a finalist for large EPA grant

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that the Clear Creek Watershed Foundation has been chosen as a finalist for a $544,090 Targeted Watershed Grant. The proposal, one of 16 finalists in the nation, features a large-scale mine site remediation project to restore water quality in impaired stream segments. More...

• RESOURCES

Protecting Water Quality While Meeting Smart Growth Goals Webcast

The Webcast, sponsored by the International City/County Management Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was originally broadcast on July 25, 2007. It describes how two very different communities — San Jose, Calif. and Barnstable, Mass. — protect water quality while meeting smart growth goals for economic growth and development. The following speakers discuss the political, economic and regulatory aspects of their programs.

Laurel Prevetti, assistant director, Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement, San Jose, Calif.
Paul Niedzwiecki, assistant town manager, Barnstable, Mass.
Geoff Anderson, director, Development, Community and Environment Division, U.S. EPA (moderator )

To view the Webcast, logon www.icma.org/waterwebcast.

Urban Stormwater Retrofit Practices manual

This is the latest release in the Center for Watershed Protection's Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series. It provides resources needed to develop an effective local retrofit program.

The manual can be downloaded at www.cwp.org/PublicationStore/USRM.htm#usrm3.

Water Under Pressure: Colorado's Threatened Water Resources

This new report published by Environment Colorado Research and Policy Center explores challenges to water quality in the state, including resources for inspection and enforcement, urban development, energy development, agriculture, mining and the prior appropriation system. It also outlines recommendations to address these issues.

Logon www.environmentcolorado.org/reports/clean-water/clean-water-program-reports/water-under-pressure.

• ARTICLES

Aurora project to help set green standards

A $2 billion Aurora project will be among the first in Colorado to take part in a nationwide effort to set sustainable building and planning standards for residential developments. Horizon City Center, at the southwest corner of Interstate 70 and E-470, will participate in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) pilot program.

Logon www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_6413903.

He tallies hidden costs of free parking – one space at a time

A recent article in the Christian Science Monitor shows how researchers are studying the impact that parking spaces have on the environment – and, in the process, counting parking spaces. It also notes that some U.S. cities are changing their parking regulations, increasing the cost of on-street parking and modifying requirements for the number of parking spaces in new developments.

Logon www.csmonitor.com/2007/0924/p01s10-usgn.html.

New type of sediment traps working for Glenwood Springs

King Lloyd, assistant city engineer for Glenwood Springs designed and built reinforced concrete sediment traps as part of a system that collects runoff from 194 acres of mixed-use development. Installed early this year, the system is working well based on reports of sediment collection and the smell of hydrocarbons. As part of the overall design, effluent flows over a large grassy area where it percolates into the ground.

For more information, visit www.gradingandexcavating.com/sw_0709_inlet.html.

• UPCOMING EVENTS

Second Annual Colorado Environmental Film Festival
Nov. 1-3
American Mountaineering Center
710 10th Street, Golden, Colo.

This event will offer attendees the opportunity to view thought-provoking and entertaining local, national, and international feature length and short films for all ages, participate in a forum on environmental filmmaking, attend an evening reception, and learn from a variety of organizations in the Expo Hall. Featured films will explore interconnected ecological, social, and economic themes. There will also be audience discussion with filmmakers, producers, and experts on the films’ topics.

For more information logon www.caee.org/ceff.html.

Sixth Annual Landscape Ecology Symposium

Nov. 9
Boulder Public Library Auditorium

Author Bruce Ferguson, professor and director of the University of Georgia’s School of Environmental Design, will speak about porous pavements. Kim Sorvig, research assistant professor of architecture and planning at the University of New Mexico, will also talk about urban landscape ecology.

For more information, contact Paul Lander at LanderP@bouldercolorado.gov.

Porous Asphalt Pavement Seminar

Nov. 13
Rocky Mountain Asphalt Education Center
6880 South Yosemite Court, Suite 110, Centennial, Colo.

Porous asphalt pavements offer developers and planners a fairly new tool in their toolbox for managing stormwater. Environmentally friendly porous pavements can conserve water, reduce runoff, promote infiltration, cleanse stormwater, protect streams and allow for better use of the land.

For more information, logon www.co-asphalt.com/documents/
Porous_Asphalt_Pavement_07_mail.pdf.

• FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about ways communities can prevent the impacts of land use on water quality, visit the AWARE Colorado Web site at www.awarecolorado.org.

A statewide program to educate local decision makers about the impacts of land use choices on water quality AWARE Colorado Home AWARE Updates Past Issues	AWARE Colorado Update • October 2007
	AWARE Colorado continues to visit communities around the state to inform local officials and others about tools and strategies to protect water quality. To learn more about the AWARE Colorado program or schedule a presentation click here. Here are some new resources, articles and upcoming events. • NEWS Clear Creek Watershed Foundation a finalist for large EPA grant The U.S Environmental Protection Agency recently announced that the Clear Creek Watershed Foundation has been chosen as a finalist for a $544,090 Targeted Watershed Grant. The proposal, one of 16 finalists in the nation, features a large-scale mine site remediation project to restore water quality in impaired stream segments. More... • RESOURCES Protecting Water Quality While Meeting Smart Growth Goals Webcast The Webcast, sponsored by the International City/County Management Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was originally broadcast on July 25, 2007. It describes how two very different communities — San Jose, Calif. and Barnstable, Mass. — protect water quality while meeting smart growth goals for economic growth and development. The following speakers discuss the political, economic and regulatory aspects of their programs. Laurel Prevetti, assistant director, Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement, San Jose, Calif. Paul Niedzwiecki, assistant town manager, Barnstable, Mass. Geoff Anderson, director, Development, Community and Environment Division, U.S. EPA (moderator ) To view the Webcast, logon www.icma.org/waterwebcast. Urban Stormwater Retrofit Practices manual This is the latest release in the Center for Watershed Protection's Urban Subwatershed Restoration Manual Series. It provides resources needed to develop an effective local retrofit program. The manual can be downloaded at www.cwp.org/PublicationStore/USRM.htm#usrm3. Water Under Pressure: Colorado's Threatened Water Resources This new report published by Environment Colorado Research and Policy Center explores challenges to water quality in the state, including resources for inspection and enforcement, urban development, energy development, agriculture, mining and the prior appropriation system. It also outlines recommendations to address these issues. Logon www.environmentcolorado.org/reports/clean-water/clean-water-program-reports/water-under-pressure. • ARTICLES Aurora project to help set green standards A $2 billion Aurora project will be among the first in Colorado to take part in a nationwide effort to set sustainable building and planning standards for residential developments. Horizon City Center, at the southwest corner of Interstate 70 and E-470, will participate in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) pilot program. Logon www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_6413903. He tallies hidden costs of free parking – one space at a time A recent article in the Christian Science Monitor shows how researchers are studying the impact that parking spaces have on the environment – and, in the process, counting parking spaces. It also notes that some U.S. cities are changing their parking regulations, increasing the cost of on-street parking and modifying requirements for the number of parking spaces in new developments. Logon www.csmonitor.com/2007/0924/p01s10-usgn.html. New type of sediment traps working for Glenwood Springs King Lloyd, assistant city engineer for Glenwood Springs designed and built reinforced concrete sediment traps as part of a system that collects runoff from 194 acres of mixed-use development. Installed early this year, the system is working well based on reports of sediment collection and the smell of hydrocarbons. As part of the overall design, effluent flows over a large grassy area where it percolates into the ground. For more information, visit www.gradingandexcavating.com/sw_0709_inlet.html. • UPCOMING EVENTS Second Annual Colorado Environmental Film Festival Nov. 1-3 American Mountaineering Center 710 10th Street, Golden, Colo. This event will offer attendees the opportunity to view thought-provoking and entertaining local, national, and international feature length and short films for all ages, participate in a forum on environmental filmmaking, attend an evening reception, and learn from a variety of organizations in the Expo Hall. Featured films will explore interconnected ecological, social, and economic themes. There will also be audience discussion with filmmakers, producers, and experts on the films’ topics. For more information logon www.caee.org/ceff.html. Sixth Annual Landscape Ecology Symposium Nov. 9 Boulder Public Library Auditorium Author Bruce Ferguson, professor and director of the University of Georgia’s School of Environmental Design, will speak about porous pavements. Kim Sorvig, research assistant professor of architecture and planning at the University of New Mexico, will also talk about urban landscape ecology. For more information, contact Paul Lander at LanderP@bouldercolorado.gov. Porous Asphalt Pavement Seminar Nov. 13 Rocky Mountain Asphalt Education Center 6880 South Yosemite Court, Suite 110, Centennial, Colo. Porous asphalt pavements offer developers and planners a fairly new tool in their toolbox for managing stormwater. Environmentally friendly porous pavements can conserve water, reduce runoff, promote infiltration, cleanse stormwater, protect streams and allow for better use of the land. For more information, logon www.co-asphalt.com/documents/ Porous_Asphalt_Pavement_07_mail.pdf. • FOR MORE INFORMATION To learn more about ways communities can prevent the impacts of land use on water quality, visit the AWARE Colorado Web site at www.awarecolorado.org.
	AWARE Colorado is an educational program of the League of Women Voters of Colorado Education Fund. It is funded by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Copyright 2007 League of Women Voters of Colorado Education Fund 1410 Grant Street, Suite B204, Denver, CO 80203