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America’s Great Outdoors and Urban Waters Federal Partnership Urban Ecosystem Services and Decision Making: A Roundtable

America’s Great Outdoors and Urban Waters Federal Partnership Urban Ecosystem Services and Decision Making: A Roundtable On A Green Philadelphia The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania May 23, 2013. David P. Russ, PhD, Regional Director, Northeast Region U.S. Geological Survey.

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America’s Great Outdoors and Urban Waters Federal Partnership Urban Ecosystem Services and Decision Making: A Roundtable

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  1. America’s Great Outdoors and Urban Waters Federal Partnership Urban Ecosystem Services and Decision Making: A Roundtable On A Green Philadelphia The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania May 23, 2013 David P. Russ, PhD, Regional Director, Northeast RegionU.S. Geological Survey

  2. America’s Great Outdoors • In the increasingly urbanized and plugged-in society of the 21st century, the threat of a diminishing connection between people and the outdoors has never been greater. • President Obama launched the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative in April, 2010 to address this challenge, charging his cabinet … with developing a 21st century conservation agenda. From AGO, 2012, Progress Report

  3. America’s Great Outdoors • Establishing Great Urban Parks and Community Green Spaces • Conserving and Restoring Large Landscapes and Working Lands • Enhancing Rivers and Other Waters

  4. Urban Waters Federal Partnership • Partnership of 11 Federal agencies designed to help urban communities – particularly underserved communities – as they restore and protect urban water quality, revitalize neighborhoods, and reconnect citizens to their urban waterways. • Federal partners will begin by building upon current projects in specific localities that can enhance on-the- ground working relationships between Federal partners and local organizations. • Federal partners will put communities first; we cannot do this alone; we will listen to and engage communities, ensuring that they are full partners.

  5. Urban Waters Federal Partnership • Partnership Agencies • EPA • USDA • DOI • HUD • DOT • USACE • NOAA • EDA • CDC • NIEHS • CNCSED • DOE • with • WH-DPC • WH- CEQ • Vision • “Through our Partnership, we will revitalize urban waters and the communities that surround them, transforming overlooked assets into treasured centerpieces and drivers of urban revival.” • Multiple Administration Goals: • Natural Resource Restoration coupled with Community & Economic Revitalization • Environmental Justice • AGO 5

  6. Guiding Principles Urban Waters Federal Partnership • Promote clean urban waters • Reconnect people to their waterways • Conserve water • Use urban water systems as a way to promote economic revitalization and prosperity • Encourage community improvements through active partnerships • Be open and honest. Listening is the best way to engage communities. • Focus on measuring results and evaluation to fuel future success More at: urbanwaters.gov 6

  7. Progress to Date • First Year • Pilot Locations • Anacostia River (DC/MD) • Baltimore / Patapsco River (MD) • Bronx & Harlem Rivers (NY) • Denver / South Platte River (CO) • Los Angeles • River (CA) • New Orleans / Lake Pontchartrain (LA) • Northwest • Indiana (IN) • 4 • 7 pilots have been launched. • 11 Federal agencies are participating. • Each pilot has one or more Federal co-sponsors. • Federal partners have engaged local partners, including municipal officials, watershed associations, NGOs, academia, and State agencies. • Multiple meetings and workshops have been held to identify priorities and working relationships. • Online digital mapping tools have been developed that portray spatial data and locations of projects and activities. 7

  8. Eleven New UWFP Locations • Albuquerque, New Mexico (Middle Rio Grande) • Atlanta, Georgia (Proctor Creek Watershed • Chelsea/Everett/North of Boston, Massachusetts (Mystic River Watershed) • Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grand River) • Kansas City, Missouri (Middle Blue River) • Passaic, New Jersey (Passaic River) • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Chester, Pa., Wilmington, DE, and Camden, NJ) (Delaware River Watershed) • San Juan, Puerto Rico (Martin Pena Channel • Seattle, Washington (Puget Sound - Green - Duwamish Watershed) • St. Louis, Missouri - (Meramec and Big River Watersheds) • Toledo, Ohio (Western Lake Erie Basin)

  9. Revitalizing the Delaware River Watershed • Encompasses Philadelphia to Wilmington, including Camden and Chester. • Area has lost significant economic benefits and ecosystem services. • Numerous efforts underway to reduce impacts of urbanization on water quality, wetlands, degraded habitats, biota. • Federal co-sponsors – U.S. Forest Service, NOAA, DOI • Michael Leff – U.S. Forest Service - Ambassador

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