Environmental Policy Innovation Center

I've officially wrapped up my summer fellowship hosted jointly between the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) and the Connecticut Green Bank! One of my final deliverables for EPIC is a short piece on how Maryland state agencies/commissions have implemented the Maryland Conservation Finance Act (CFA) over the past two years. Because of the implementation of the CFA, there are now more examples of how pay-for-success contracts can be utilized to purchase environmental outcomes. While there are early wins from the CFA, plenty of work lies ahead to implement all of the key provisions of the bill. Read more about it here: https://lnkd.in/ewTVeSwQ

❓ Curious what states are doing to support more green stormwater infrastructure? Check out our latest blog! Throughout, Peter Hill, highlights how states can support - and are supporting - municipalities with two types of planning needs related to green stormwater infrastructure: 1️⃣ Asset planning 2️⃣ Creating a reliable local revenue source through stormwater utilities Use the link below to read more about what states are doing to help municipalities take advantage of federal funds and to put them on a solid footing to support stormwater work in the future. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gYMFzYuq #StormwaterUtilities #StormwaterPlanning #GreenStormwaterInfrastructurePlanning

At a time when tech is more critical than ever in meeting the country's #climateresilience, #conservation, and #environmentaljustice goals, its adoption and use in government lags behind the private sector. 💡 Our Technology Team is taking that challenge head on by building policy & strategies to put the right people, processes, and tools in place, and to drive better stewardship outcomes out scale. 👉 Are you interested in supporting that work? We're hiring a new Senior Analyst for Environmental Tech Policy. Apply here! ➡ https://lnkd.in/gwsVaEsY

🌱🌟 We're Hiring a Funding Navigator Manager! 🌟🌱   Passionate about helping communities address their water challenges? Have experience working with utilities, municipalities, or community groups on infrastructure projects? We want to hear from you! Click on the link below to learn more about the position and how to apply. Join our 💧 #WaterTeam 💧 and help us build an equitable water future!   🔗 https://lnkd.in/gwsVaEsY #WaterInfrastructure #WaterJobs #FundingNavigator

💧 Check out our latest blog! 💧 With the recent update to the EPA’s State Revolving Fund Public Portal, we have our first chance to dig into how states utilized the first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding for drinking water system investment. In this overview, Phil Cork briefly explores how states are distributing these historic funds. #EPA #StateRevolvingFunds #LeadServiceLineReplacement 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eAeqPjmi

💧 We are happy to play a role in lifting this work and look forward to seeing the full episode highlighting how the federal funds are making a difference for Milwaukee!

⏰ At a moment when the stakes are truly existential, the status quo in environmental permitting (especially #NEPA!) is untenable—and a huge barrier to the speed and scale of effort we need to meet the country’s climate and infrastructure goals. Better #permittingtech can help change that. 💡 Learn more about how from Technology Director Jessica Mahr in Nextgov/FCW this week: https://lnkd.in/gNWadbED 👀 ICYMI: read our latest blog on the topic 👉 https://lnkd.in/gT2MwRNA

📣 As a changing climate and intensifying wildfires strain our forests and rangelands, land managers at the USDA Forest Service (and other agencies!) need the capacity to adapt to changing conditions. Innovative, data-driven tech must be a core tool in our toolbox if we're going to solve the wildland fire crisis. 🏛 That's why we were so excited to have our own Reed Van Beveren join yesterday's Hill briefing hosted by Federation of American Scientists on innovation in #firetech.

📣 The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) just delivered it's report on how technology can help accelerate #environmentalpermitting. Every day we see examples of how established emerging tech can lead the way to better permitting outcomes—for the government, projects, and our communities. It's time to take up this once-in-a-generation opportunity for permitting innovation. 💡 Check out our blog on key take-aways from the report ⤵ https://lnkd.in/gT2MwRNA

👏 A huge thank you to the **more than 300** advocates, state and federal staff, and data experts who attended last week's webinar celebrating the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s historic #drinkingwater service area boundaries dataset and mapping tool. 👀 ICYMI: Watch the webinar: https://lnkd.in/eSV3dzn2 🔍 Explore EPA's new dataset & map: https://lnkd.in/egDE3U94 📊 Also: don't forget to check out Gabriel Watson's new blog, where he dives into the data to explore what this milestone means for advancing #waterjustice: https://lnkd.in/e8H-H2GJ