EPA partnering with state capitals on green design

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced five capital cities as participants in its annual Greening America’s Capitals (GAC) program. EPA will fund a team of top designers to visit each city to help produce sustainable communities projects.

The GAC cities for 2012 were selected through a national competition. The cities are:

• Frankfurt, Ky., which will receive assistance to enhance walkability and add bike lanes between the historic downtown and the State Capitol.
• Des Moines, Iowa will receive assistance to incorporate green infrastructure elements into a proposed streetscape plan for a one-mile segment leading into the city’s downtown.
• Baton Rouge, La., will receive assistance to incorporate green infrastructure elements into a proposed walking and biking trail connecting Louisiana State University with the city’s downtown.
• Helena, Mont., will receive assistance to improve walkability and add bike lanes to a street connecting the business district with downtown.
• In Indianapolis, Ind., will receive assistance to make streets more pedestrian friendly and revitalize public plazas at the Market Square redevelopment area.

This is the third year of the GAC program. Capital cities selected in the first two years include Boston, Mass.; Charleston, W. Va.; Hartford, Conn.; Jackson, Miss.; Jefferson City, Mo.; Lincoln, Neb.; Little Rock, Ark.; Montgomery, Ala.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Washington, D.C.

The goal of the GAC program is to help the nation’s capital cities stimulate economic development, provide more housing and transportation choices, and reduce infrastructure and energy costs. The program is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities among EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation.