GUEST ARTICLE: Properly Funding the Renewal of Our Crumbling Infrastructure to Rebuild Equitable, Green Prosperity U.S. DOT launches major new initiative to support transportation-based economic revitalization throughout rural America New partnership will promote innovative, green finance for sustainable, climate-resilient infrastructure in Southeast Asia Two $200,000 grants will restore 5.5 acres of oyster reef in Virginia Beach’s Lynnhaven River, and stock it with 5.5 million oysters Major property insurance company partners with World Wildlife Fund-Canada to boost public education on climate resilience 50 years later, healing Pittsburgh’s I-579 urban planning disaster: A $32 million park will reconnect downtown & historic district How to repurpose under-used parking structures into affordable housing: 1091 parking spaces can become 119 residences Governors Island—an old NYC military outpost—might be repurposed as a living laboratory for climate crisis adaptation Final planting for the ecological restoration of the Saw Mill Creek Mitigation Bank on Staten Island, New York is complete The first economic development corporation-owned “Qualified Opportunity Funds” in Maine—and in United States—has been launched Seattle awards $5 million to community organizations working for neighborhood revitalization without displacement The EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funds a $186,000 contract to reconnect and restore a National Park stream in Ohio After a 3 1/2-year, $115 million restoration and revitalization, Baltimore, Maryland’s historic Enoch Pratt Free Library reopens Canada gives $10 million more for wetlands restoration to boost waterfowl populations, climate resilience and carbon sequestration Historic warehouse beautifully repurposed and renovated as green offices in Auckland, New Zealand’s revitalized innovation district How to restore coral reefs: New guidelines have been published by the multi-university Coral Restoration Consortium Phillips 66 gives another $500,000 to Ducks Unlimited to restore wetlands in wildlife refuges of Colorado, Kansas and Texas In San Francisco, renovation of city’s oldest wastewater treatment facility wins a “Sustainable Infrastructure” award Elmira, New York’s downtown revitalization progresses as new mixed-use redevelopment opens with 100% of apartments leased New Giant Screen film—narrated by Claire Danes—documents spectacular restoration successes of three endangered species As the restoration economy grows, firms that used to be paid to damage nature now find growth opportunities restoring it Promoting Nature-Based Solutions For Climate Resilience: The evolving trajectories of Washington, DC and Puerto Rico NeighborhoodLIFT Program donates $300,000 to four Orlando non-profits for affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization City Climate Finance Gap Fund is launched with 100 million euro to unlock 4 billion euro to boost urban climate resilience Accelerating investment in natural infrastructure to boost local climate resilience and global climate restoration Hoboken breaks ground to repurpose and restore a 6-acre industrial site into the largest resilience park in New Jersey New partnership boosts urban regeneration, green buildings & sustainable / inclusive tourism to revitalize local economies With their first renovation project complete, a private redeveloper vows to help revitalize all of West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania New $160 million project will ecologically restore two barrier islands and one headland of Terrebonne Basin in Louisiana New partnership, The Mesoamerican Reef Fund, works to research & develop new financing mechanisms for coral reef restoration Completed Louisiana marsh restoration will help revitalize commercial and recreational fisheries, plus local hunting and trapping Appalachian Regional Commission awards $44.4 million to 54 projects in 8 states: will help revitalize coal-impacted communities Ameresco will build a 27 megawatt solar farm on a repurposed brownfield site (AKA “brightfield”) in the village of DePue, Illinois Three more communities in New York State win $10 million each for revitalization of their historic downtowns In Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Montcrest School repurposes, renews and connects 3 historic residences into a gorgeous campus Another Endangered Species Act victory: Restoration of Kirtland’s warbler succeeds; songbird removed from endangered status
