JOHN W. VICK AND CAROL NORTON ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER: SERVING EPA REGION 4 CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY

WHO WE ARE Center for Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Louisville houses the U.S. EPA funded Environmental Finance Center serving Region 4. Interdisciplinary Across the University EFCN National Network of University Centers EFAB Expert Witness to Agency WHAT WE DO Environmental Policy Analysis, Technical Assistance, and Education WHO WE SERVE We serve state and local officials, public agencies and institutions, and community-based organizations.

HOW WE DO THE WORK: Practice Guides in the Area of Environmental Policy and Sustainability Policy Reports and Handbooks Public Engagement and Education WorkshopsConferencesWebinarsSpeaker Series Web-based and Electronic Resources: Website Guides and Reports free to the public Kentucky Food Trader News letter Task Force and Committee Memberships Air Pollution Control Board Task Force Climate Change Committees University Sustainability Business and Operations Committee Louisville Metro Health and Wellness Food In Neighborhood Committee

Areas of our work Urban agriculture Safe soil Schoolyard design Water quality

Urban agriculture and safe soil

URBAN AGRICULTURE AND SAFE SOIL Building on our experience: 2005 EPA k6 Brownfields Technical Assistance Grant Park Hill Corridor Area Wide Planning Process Greening the Corridor: KEY COMMUNITY DRIVEN GOAL 2009 Schoolyard/Garden Design Guides Schools want gardens, environmental classrooms, and interaction with local residents.

Urban Agriculture and Soil Contamination: An Introduction to Urban Gardening Practice Guide #25 Establishing Urban Agriculture in Your Community: What You Need to Know Before You Get Your Hands Dirty Practice Guide #27 Safe Container Gardening Practice Guide #28 Schoolyards as Resources for Learning and Communities: A Design Handbook for Kentucky Schools TOOLS FOR COMMUNITIES: Linking research to education and practice

Urban Agriculture and Soil Contamination: An Introduction to Urban Gardening Allison Houlihan Turner, West Chester University Topics covered Dangers and Sources of Soil Contamination Discussion of Acceptable Levels of Contamination Soil Testing: Collection Strategies & Sampling Procedures Exposure to Soil Contamination: Sources & Effects Determining & Implementing a Sampling Strategy and General Collection Procedures Soil Testing Costs Determining Land Use History Soil Testing Laboratories How to Evaluate Soil Test Results Questions to ask in Determining Remediation Options Physical and Biological Soil Remediation Techniques Non ‐ remediation Options Urban Agriculture Best Practices

Topics covered Definitions of Urban Agriculture and Why it is Important Socio ‐ economic and Environmental Impacts Discussion of General Obstacles to Urban Agriculture that are: Site ‐ related, Government ‐ related, Procedure ‐ related, and Perception ‐ related. A Special Set of Obstacles: The Limited Presence of Community Development Corporations in Urban Agriculture Land Constraints to Urban Agriculture and Planning Factors that Reinforce Constraints Establishing Urban Agriculture in Your Community: What You Need to Know Before You Get Your Hands Dirty Allison Houlihan Turner, West Chester University

Topics Covered Defining container gardens and why they are not always safe Soil contamination: arsenic, lead, others Soil testing and remediation Safety of materials: wood, rubber, metal, others Organizational policies Recommendations for safe materials and practices Safe Container Gardening John W. Vick and Joshua Poe, University of Louisville

Schoolyard design

Schoolyards as Resources For Learning and Communities: A Design Handbook for Kentucky Schools CEPM/EFC4 Collaboration with City Solutions Center at UofL Winner of Best 2010 Project from the Kentucky Chapter of the American Planning Association Source: City Solutions Center

Topics Covered importance of schoolyard redesign national examples of schoolyard redesign successes elements of schoolyard designs community engagement implementation case studies benefits of schoolyards Boston Schoolyard Initiative outdoor classroom at Gardner Elementary School. Source: City Solutions Center Schoolyards as Resources For Learning and Communities: A Design Handbook for Kentucky Schools

design elements to consider outdoor spatial design accessibility materials environmental influences plant material selection

how to implement: safe soil considerations, stewardship, and maintenance A community-based redesign process role of community engagement why how connections to environmental education beyond the school stages of a community-based design process inventory analysis synthesis Source: City Solutions Center

schoolyard redesign benefits educational public health environmental social financial resources for teachers and administrators safe soils: assessments, testing, and cleanup gardening and environmental curriculum resources financial resources: private and public

Water quality

Kentucky Wet Growth Tools for Sustainable Development : A Handbook on Land Use and Water for Kentucky Communities Craig Anthony Arnold Carol Norton Dustin Wallen University of Louisville Center for Land Use and Environmental Responsibility

“wet growth” A wide range of growth management and land use policies that give high priority to water quality, water conservation, and overall watershed health.

Why “wet growth”? Kentucky has about 89,000 miles of streams, 637,000 acres of wetlands, 228,000 acres of lakes, 11 major river basins, and karst in about 55% of its geography Over 200 flood-prone communities in Kentucky Growth-related flooding and harms to water resources impose tremendous costs on the people of Kentucky.

Source: Commonwealth Water Education Project “Tool Box” approach Planning methods Code and ordinance provisions Public and private incentives Site development standards Water-sensitive practices Participatory processes

Kentucky Wet Growth Tools for Sustainable Development Flooded homes in Kentucky Source: Keith Mountain Quality, flow, and levels of waters like river, streams, lakes Drinking water supply Groundwater quality and levels Severity and control of flooding Overall healthy functioning of watershed WHY?

Watershed planning Source: University of Wisconsin-Extension

Low-impact development techniques and methods  Conservation designs  Infiltration practices  Runoff storage practices  Runoff conveyance practices  Filtration practices  Low-impact landscaping Source: Southeast Watershed Forum

Land conservation  Critical habitats  Aquatic corridors  Hydrologic reserve  Water pollution hazard  Cultural areas Source: Tony Arnold

Restoration, remediation, and reuse  Historic preservation  Brownfields  Greyfields  Stream, wetland, and watershed restoration Source: Kelly Tabbert Source: Kentucky Division of Conservation Source: Kentucky Court of Justice

Public infrastructure  Public lands and facilities – government buildings, civic centers, plazas, parks and recreation areas  Transportation systems  Stormwater management systems

Participatory Process, Public Education, and Engagement Source: Southeast Watershed Forum; Tony Arnold; Tracy Arnold Chapman

Center for Environmental Policy and Management/EFC4 University of Louisville CONTACT JOHN W. VICK, M.S. CAROL NORTON, AICP Please visit us at: