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Events

SAVE THE DATE

10th Annual Southwestern PA Smart Growth Conference

Regional Collaboration: Investing in Sustainable Communities

Friday, October 15
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, downtown Pittsburgh
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Lunch provided.
Online registration coming soon (Early registration: $25; After 9/23: $45) Free for elected officials.
For exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities contact: cgould@sustainablepittsburgh.org

For this 10th anniversary, the conference will be a milestone for the high stakes surrounding the region's capacity building for smart growth. Focus will be on alignment with the Obama Administration's Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities (comprising federal DOT, EPA, and HUD) in supporting integration of housing, transportation, water infrastructure, energy conservation, and land use planning and investment. As such, this one-day, conference will identify barriers and solutions to cross-jurisdictional coordination for regional smart growth and sustainable community development policy and implementation. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan hit home the need and opportunity of our times in recently stating, "Our challenge now is to bring that holistic view of community development into the mainstream -- to help build sustainable neighborhoods, communities and regions that are as interconnected as the challenges they face."

The conference will again serve as a public input session to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's process of updating the region's Long Range Transportation and Development Plan. This update will be distinguished by addition of enhancements appropriate to a regional sustainable development plan per the six "Livability Principles" prioritized by the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

More details

Legislation on the Move

Resources

Events

10th Annual Southwestern PA Smart Growth Conference:
Regional Collaboration: Investing in Sustainable Communities

SAVE THE DATE
Friday, October 15
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, downtown Pittsburgh
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Lunch provided.
Online registration coming soon (Early registration: $25; After 9/23: $45) Free for elected officials.
For exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities contact: cgould@sustainablepittsburgh.org

For this 10th anniversary, the conference will be a milestone for the high stakes surrounding the region's capacity building for smart growth. Focus will be on alignment with the Obama Administration's Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities (comprising federal DOT, EPA, and HUD) in supporting integration of housing, transportation, water infrastructure, energy conservation, and land use planning and investment. As such, this one-day, conference will identify barriers and solutions to cross-jurisdictional coordination for regional smart growth and sustainable community development policy and implementation. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan hit home the need and opportunity of our times in recently stating, "Our challenge now is to bring that holistic view of community development into the mainstream -- to help build sustainable neighborhoods, communities and regions that are as interconnected as the challenges they face."

The conference will again serve as a public input session to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's process of updating the region's Long Range Transportation and Development Plan. This update will be distinguished by addition of enhancements appropriate to a regional sustainable development plan per the six "Livability Principles" prioritized by the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

The conference will feature:
- Federal and state representatives
- Nationally recognized keynote
- Allen Biehler, PA Secretary of Transportation
- SPC public process per the region's sustainable development plan
- Formal presentation of competition results – “14 Essential Tipping Points for SWPA Sustainable Community Development" (web site soon)
- Learn what federal and state agencies are looking for in capacity and qualification for sustainable community investment
- Identification of actionable steps whose implementation will position our region to accelerate sustainable development and be a priority place for investment

Southwestern PA is a contemporary proving ground for hastening the new American dream found in revitalizing livable, sustainable communities through smart growth policies that discourage sprawl, congestion and pollution. Come be part of continuing the region's sustainability renaissance for economically competitive, environmentally sustainable, opportunity rich communities. More than a one-time event, the conference will be a point of acceleration and innovation for the region's positive path.

Presented by Sustainable Pittsburgh's Sustainable Community Development Network in collaboration with: 3 Rivers Wet Weather, 10,000 Friends of PA, Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, Green Building Alliance, Group Against Smog and Pollution, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, Local Government Academy, Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development, Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 10, District 11, and District 12, Pennsylvania Resources Council, Remaking Cities Institute, Smart Growth Partnership of Westmorland County, Southwest Chapter of the Pennsylvania Planners Association, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Pittsburgh, Young Preservationists Association

Car Free Fridays – East Liberty June 18th

Friday, June 18
7:30 am - 10:00 am
Multiple locations
More information

Make a statement. Go Car Free this Friday! Sign up for the June edition of Car Free Fridays at the following events and activities to receive the East Liberty discount voucher and enter the monthly raffle.

Whole Foods Market, East Liberty – bicycle there and get breakfast!
Meet Pittsburgh Bike Czar Stephen Patchan
Minor biker repairs provided by Trek of Pittsburgh

Fifth Avenue Place, Downtown – bicycle there and get breakfast!
Minor biker repairs provided by Chris from Thick Bikes
Green Gears Pedicab will provide complimentary rides from Port Authority’s Wood Street Station to anywhere in the Golden Triangle.

William Pitt Union, Fifth Avenue, Oakland – bicycle there and get breakfast!
Minor biker repairs provided by Ted from Ted’s Excellent Bike Repair

This months raffle includes a monthly bus pass, a Zipcar membership with $75 driving credit, a BikePGH membership, and prizes and gift certificates from local businesses like Jamil’s and Capri pizza.

Each month Car Free Fridays highlights a different neighborhood or municipality in the region to promote ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION – bicycling, walking, ride share, and transit. It’s a great chance to learn about the neighborhood, check out the business district, and figure out how to come and go car free. Additional activities are scheduled for the evening of June 18. See the Car Free Fridays website for more information and the most up to date details.

Joint Public Hearings on Transportation Funding

Friday, June 18
11:00 am
Gateway High School, 3000 Gateway Campus Boulevard, Monroeville
Topic: Issues affecting the South West Region (PennDOT Districts 11 and 12).
http://buildingabetterpa.com/

Pennsylvania’s aging infrastructure continues to deteriorate, yet the demands that are placed on it continue to grow. Increasing cars, trucks and buses on PA roads and bridges; old and crumbling water and sewer systems; correctional facilities bulging at the seams and costly, inefficient public transportation systems are all placed on taxpayers’ shoulders. The House Republican infrastructure task force was formed to examine the infrastructure that exists in Pennsylvania today. The infrastructure task force has been examining all aspects of Pennsylvania’s infrastructure to ensure that the taxpayer is getting back what they put in. By exploring more cost effective funding mechanisms the task force is working to develop innovative methods to improve the various facets of the Commonwealth’s infrastructure.

The infrastructure task force is charged with:
Developing innovative methods to fund and improve the various facets of the Commonwealth’s infrastructure.
Areas of focus will include roads and bridges, mass transit, water and sewer, aviation, and maritime transportation.

Participate in this joint public hearing on June 18.

Pittsburgh Green Drinks: Rethinking the suburban bus stop

Friday, June 18
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Mitchell's Restaurant, 304 Ross St at Third Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh
Hosted by Lynn Manion, Airport Corridor Transportation Association and Paula Maynes, Maynes Associates Architects LLC

The bus stop is part of American lore: the theme of a Broadway play, the title of a rock ‘n’ roll song, a fixture in cities and suburbs everywhere. But suburbs were developed with automobiles as the primary means of transportation - while so many suburbs have grown exponentially, their bus stops have not evolved. Some may have been renovated, but they haven’t been rethought.

Now as concerns about the environment, energy, and the economy motivate more people to consider using public transportation, it's time to rethink suburban bus stops. The Airport Corridor Transportation Association (ACTA), a Transportation Management Association serving one of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s fastest growing commercial areas, recently completed a study of bus stops in this area. Its principal outcome: a set of replicable suburban bus stop prototypes with the potential to significantly improve the user experience. ACTA hired Maynes and Associates Architects to work with the local constituents to develop the bus stop prototypes that will be better integrated into the suburban landscape, make riders feel safer and increase suburban transit use.

Join us to discuss how bus stop design affects the transit experience and how this study and its designs represent a conceptual leap forward – in effect a rethinking of the suburban bus stop.

Lynn Manion is executive director of the Airport Corridor Transportation Association (ACTA), a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to alleviating traffic congestion, improving air quality and increasing travel options in the western suburbs of Pittsburgh. ACTA is located in Robinson Town Center. In 2008, ACTA received an award of excellence from the Forbes Fund for its community outreach efforts.

Paula Maynes is the Managing Member of Maynes Associates Architects, an architectural and urban design firm specialized in the design of transit facilities and sustainable communities that include transportation choices. Maynes Associates Architects was established in 1993 and is located in one of Pittsburgh’s great livable neighborhoods, the South Side.

River Sweep 2010

Saturday, June 19
8:00 am - Noon
Cleanups happening in the following PA counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Clarion, Washington, and Westmoreland
Contact differs per cleanup site
Visit www.orsanco.org for more information.

River Sweep, sponsored by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) and Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE), is an annual river bank cleanup for the Ohio River and its tributaries. Throughout the years, this nationally recognized event has grown into one of the largest cleanup efforts of its kind; encompassing 3,000 miles of shoreline from Pittsburgh, PA to Cairo, IL. During River Sweep, volunteers from environmental organizations, civic groups, recreational clubs, scout troops, local businesses, and the general public come out to clean the river banks. Each volunteer will receive a FREE River Sweep 2010 t-shirt.

Integrating More Sustainable Design Into Form-Based Codes

WEBINAR
Tuesday, June 22
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Donohoe Center, 214 Donohoe Road, Greensburg
Registration Fee: $5.00 (payable at the door)
To register, please contact the Smart Growth Partnership at 724-552-0118.
More information
2.5 AIA-CES and AICP credits will be available for this course.

Form-Based Codes are, by definition, sustainable. Their capacity to produce compact, mixed-use urbanism makes them an essential tool in efforts to create sustainable communities. The live webinar covers the key elements of sustainable design that may be regulated by form-based codes, including renewable energy systems, stormwater and wastewater conservation, urban agriculture, green roofs, landscaping, community-based transportation, and others. Instructors will use specific case studies to illustrate these elements, drawing upon their work from across the country. They will also discuss effective community participation strategies that advance sustainable design in form-based codes.

Foreclosure prevention event for homeowners

Tuesday, June 22
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Hilton Pittsburgh, 600 Commonwealth Place, downtown Pittsburgh
Free
Flyer

Get Free Help to Save Your Home - Don’t miss this free opportunity to meet one-on-one with your mortgage lender or a HUD-approved housing counselor. Find out if you qualify for the Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program or other options from your lender. For more information:
• Call the Homeowner’s HOPEtm Hotline at 1-888-995-HOPE (4673)
• Visit MakingHomeAffordable.gov or HopeNow.com
• To get tips to avoid scams, visit LoanScamAlert.org. Help is free!

Active Allegheny: Public Meetings

Wednesday, June 23
4:30 pm — 7:30 pm
Point Park University Ballroom, 201 Wood St., downtown Pittsburgh

Thursday, June 24
4:30 pm —7:30 pm
Carnegie Borough Building, One Veterans Way, Carnegie

Allegheny County will be looking at ways to enhance people powered transportation opportunities over the coming months. This effort will begin with public meetings in Pittsburgh and in Carnegie next week. If you live, work, study or play in Allegheny County – or even just pass through the County, we encourage you to use your local knowledge to help us make the County a more accommodating place for pedestrians, cyclists, skaters and others.

Here’s the information you need to participate:
Allegheny County has partnered with PennDOT’s Bureau of Public Transportation to develop a comprehensive active transportation plan. The primary objective of the “Active Allegheny” Plan is to accommodate and encourage walking and biking as an integral part, and common means, of getting around Allegheny County. The above-listed public meetings will be held in open house format. The meeting locations are accessible to persons having disabilities. Anyone having special needs or requiring special aid should call Jackie Freeman at Olszak Management Consulting, Inc. at 412-281-9262.

Public Comment Period for 2011-2014 Draft Transportation Improvement Program for SWPA

June 23, Greene County
June 23, Butler County
June 24, Allegheny County/City of Pittsburgh
June 29, Armstrong County
June 30, Westmoreland County
6:00 pm
Various locations

For more information including location details, visit the Public Participation Program page at the SPC website. Follow the link to find your county’s project list, maps, and related information. In addition, you will find the schedule for your county’s public meeting for review of the Draft TIP. Please make a note of the date, time, and location in your area. Individuals who wish to provide verbal testimony are asked to arrive promptly for the meetings. You will have 3 minutes to provide your statement. You may also submit any written testimony at that time. Written testimony will be accepted until Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 at 4pm.

You may submit written comments to: comments@spcregion.org

Or mail them to:
Southwestern PA Commission
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2500
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
c/o 2011-2014 Draft TIP

Hard to Recycle Collection Event

Saturday, June 26
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Mall at Robinson Parking Lot (100 Robinson Centre Dr., 15205)
Flyer

The Pennsylvania Resources Council, in cooperation with the Mall at Robinson, Construction Junction, Global Links, Liberty Tire Recycling, and eLoop llc, are hosting a hard to recycle collection Saturday, June 26, 2010. Items ACCEPTABLE for drop off include: tires, e-waste, useable building materials, medical supplies (no medications please), cell phones, alkaline batteries, CFLs, and Printer/Toner Cartridges.

Please note there are some fees associated with dropping off certain items. For more information and additional dates, visit the PA Resources Council's community collections page.

A Path from Hope to Change: Implementing Equity Focused Principles and Strategies

WEBINAR
Tuesday, June 29
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
More information, including registration

Creating healthy places is critical to improving the overall health of Americans. Our neighborhoods must allow people the opportunity to make healthy decisions. Yet, not all places are created equal. Some neighborhoods have safe places for children to play outside, good schools and proximity to healthy food outlets like grocery stores and farmers markets. Other neighborhoods have only liquor stores, and lack sidewalks and parks to play in. Those neighborhoods lacking in healthy opportunities are where low-income people and communities of color live. They are also where people experience the worst health outcomes. Yet, all people should have the opportunity to live healthy lives. To create healthy people it’s critical to focus on low-income people and communities of color whose environments often do not allow for healthy choices. In this session, participants will learn how equity-based strategies and principles can form the basis of environmental policy change.

cityLive! Water we see & Water we use

Tuesday, June 29
6:30 pm
New Hazlett Theater, North Side
RSVP

Southwestern Pennsylvania residents live in a region defined by its rivers. This region has plentiful water supplies —- a tremendous economic and quality of life asset -— but significant water quality challenges. Pittsburgh was selected as the North American host city by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for World Environment Day 2010. The region hosted the World Environment Day global water conference, "Water Matters!", on June 3. Participants from across the country spoke to the problems and possibilities of water in southwestern PA -– its impact on health, energy and the economy. The June 29 cityLIVE! event will reflect upon the results of the conference, discuss what was learned and how to protect and embrace the region's most valuable resource – water.

The Impact of Local Government Revenue Losses and Possible Responses

Friday, July 16
8:00 am - Noon
University Club, Oakland
Invitation
Agenda

In the next several years, local governments in Pennsylvania will face daunting fiscal challenges. Federal stimulus activity will most likely expire in 2011. Pension obligations are projected to balloon for all levels of government. Federal and state budgets will continue to face tight constraints, and substantial cuts are all but certain. Local governments in the Commonwealth will have to carefully make difficult choices in extraordinary circumstances. What options will be available to cut appropriate expenditures, secure adequate revenues, and in some cases rethink how services are being provided?

The program will begin with a national perspective on local government challenges and opportunities provided by Nicholas Johnson, Director of the State Fiscal Project at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Senator Jay Costa, the Minority Chair of the state Senate Appropriations Committee, will then discuss our state’s fiscal condition and how ongoing budget difficulties may affect local government. Finally, a panel of local government representatives will respond to the federal and state presentations with observations on approaching struggles and possible strategies for not only surviving but for strengthening local government effectiveness in Pennsylvania.

Save the Date: The Road to Sustainability II Conference

Thursday, September 23
8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Community College of Beaver County, Athletic and Events Center, 1 Campus Drive, Monaca
Cost: $40 per person
CALL FOR VENDORS
Potential Vendors: please contact Melody Kimbrough at 724-480-3443 or via email mailto:melody.kimbrough@ccbc.edu. Space is limited so act now to take part of this extraordinary opportunity.
For details on sponsorship opportunities, please call 724-480-3443 or contact nancy.dickson@ccbc.edu.

The Community College of Beaver County, as well as current sponsors Sustainable Pittsburgh and First National Bank, will host “The Road to Sustainability II Conference: Implementing Sustainable Strategies” on Thursday, September 23. Conference attendees will learn practical ways for moving their business from sustainable concept to sustainable reality. National and regional experts will speak on topics such as: implementation strategies, demystifying the energy audit, converting return on investment into LEED Certification, and creating a sustainable work environment. Products and services dealing with sustainability will be on display and breakout sessions focusing on specific “green” topics will highlight best practices and case studies.

Legislation on the Move

Protect Rivers and Streams

The Independent Regulatory Review Commission will vote tomorrow on new regulations that would protect the area's rivers and streams from immediate threats such as wastewater from natural gas drilling and runoff from development. These rules are needed to ensure clean and safe drinking water for families, habitat for aquatic life and for outdoor recreation and tourism industries. Clean water is also critical to thriving business and industry.

No Marcellus tax without Growing Greener money

Representative Dave Levdansky (D-Allegheny) has crafted a responsible compromise that would address this year's budget gap as well as ensure significant funding for Growing Greener by next year. Without his amendment, HB 325 is seriously flawed; it would allocate 80 percent of the proceeds to the general fund, and only 4 percent to Growing Greener.

More

Renewing Growing Greener

PennEnvironment is bringing together residents from all walks of life to urge our elected officials to renew Growing Greener, before it’s too late. Preserving this critical program will help protect open spaces and family farms for kids and future generations.

Stop harming PA forests

With the House and Gov. Rendell now supporting the freeze on new natural gas leasing in state forests, it's up to the Senate to pass HB 2235. Governor Rendell recently closed a deal that would protect the Commonwealth's pristine forest lands by leasing nearly 33,000 acres of land that was already tainted by shallow well drilling and was surrounded by or adjacent to leases already held by the driller. This deal will bring in $120 million, meet the state's revenue goals, and end the need for any further leases on state lands.

Harrisburg Lobby Day June 23rd

In the next month, your legislators will decide whether to allow more gas drilling in state forests; whether to promote energy-saving green buildings; and whether to ensure funding for open space and farmland preservation programs. PA politicians hear from lobbyists for the polluters everyday -- now you can make sure that they're hearing from residents loud and clear as well. You can make the difference by joining PennEnvironment for its annual Harrisburg Lobby Day on Wednesday June 23rd.

Resources

John Kerry, Joe Lieberman tout EPA projection on climate bill

“There’ll be some people who will want to demagogue that politically, but that’s less than $1 a day,” Lieberman told reporters. “Is the American household willing to pay less than $1 so we don’t have to buy oil from foreign countries, so we can create millions of new jobs, so we can clean up our environment? I think the answer is going to be yes.”

This week on The Allegheny Front

This week on The Allegheny Front, as kids spend more and more time indoors, experts worry that an appreciation of nature is being lost on this generation. This summer, The Allegheny Front will examine what this means for kids and the rest of us. First up in the series, a look at what schools are doing to teach about the environment. We also have essays written by grade schoolers about what they like to do best outside. In the news: an update on the Pymatuning Lake fish kill, a new recycling facility for drilling wastewater, the safety of imported seafood and questions about an ingredient in sunscreen.

Recent accidents fuel concerns about Marcellus Shale drilling

The majority of complaints that bring Department of Environmental Protection inspectors to a site are reports of foul odors or murky water. Most complaints results in no violations being found. Still, the number of complaint-triggered inspections has risen dramatically since the Marcellus Shale became a household name in Pennsylvania. . . The Mountain Watershed Association said it would soon hold training sessions for citizen monitors to teach them what to look for while keeping an eye on the Marcellus Shale industry. The Center for Healthy Environments and Communities at the University of Pittsburgh received a grant from the Heinz Foundation to document the stories of people who experience Marcellus-related water or air disturbances.

Road Diets: Making Streets Slim Down Is Good For Pedestrians, Businesses And Even Traffic

Humans are not the only ones needing a diet these days. More and more cities are putting their streets on a diet – reducing vehicle lanes to add pedestrian space and calm traffic. New York City's recent success in closing an entire section of Times Square to traffic is the most famous example. But the real news is how quickly and effectively it can happen even on a fairly small scale in any city or town. The other news is that, besides the benefits road diets give to pedestrians and business that thrive on foot traffic, in some cases even traffic congestion is – surprise – improved as well.

Making Buildings More Like Ecosystems

Green building? Feh. Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow looks at the movement towards biomimetic architecture, buildings that create living, sustainable ecosystems of their own. Biomimetic buildings use natural systems to create zero-waste, closed loop systems that produce no net waste. Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow writes, "According to its proponents, this approach has the potential to be vastly more ecologically sustainable than current building practices, even those dubbed green, and they see a profound shift in this direction as crucial for architecture, not to mention the planet. Ultimately, they raise the prospect of a future where the built environment works in a radically different way — not as a foil for nature, but as seamlessly integrated with it as possible."

Green-Talkers

. . .But if "greenness" strives toward environmental sustainability -- the capacity to support your way of life indefinitely -- Pittsburgh remains no greener than any other North American city dependent on fossil fuels and old-school economic growth. Moreover, while Pittsburgh has improved upon its long-ago visible air, by two big criteria, we are well below average environmentally. . .

For information on becoming a Member of Sustainable Pittsburgh, please visit our website.

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Sustainable Pittsburgh affects decision-making in the Pittsburgh Region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity and environmental quality bringing sustainable solutions to communities and businesses.

Sustainable Pittsburgh benefits from support ($1,000 and up) in 2010 from:

Allegheny County - Dan Onorato, County Executive
Atkins Family Foundation
BNY Mellon
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Dollar Bank
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
FedEx Ground
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Richard King Mellon Foundation
The Heinz Endowments
UPMC
Waste Management


Special thanks to the SP Members

Sustainable Pittsburgh
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 258-6642
fax (412) 258-6645
E-mail SP