ATLANTA — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Transportation and Urban Development, the Army Corp of Engineers and the Centers for Disease Control, along with other federal partners, announced that the Urban Waters Federal Partnership is expanding to Proctor Creek in Atlanta, Ga., according to a press release.
Proctor Creek is one of only 11 communities nationwide to be newly selected for the partnership, noted the release.
EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Nancy Stoner was joined by EPA Deputy Regional Administrator Stan Meiburg and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in announcing the Proctor Creek partnership during a press conference at Maddox Park.
The announcement marked the first stop of a Proctor Creek tour planned as part of the National Brownfields Conference also taking place in Atlanta.
Officials from the many partnering federal, state and local agencies, along with business, nonprofit and community leaders were also present.
Americans use urban waterways as sources of drinking water and for a variety of activities including boating, fishing and swimming.
Revitalizing these urban waterways will reconnect citizens to open spaces, and have a positive economic impact on local businesses, tourism and property values, as well as spur private investment and job creation in communities, stated the release.
“This is an unprecedented partnership,” said Nancy Stoner, EPA’s acting assistant administrator for water. “Thirteen federal agencies supporting local efforts — in both the public and private sectors — to transform degraded, forgotten waterways into neighborhood centerpieces that revitalize the surrounding communities.”
Read the entire press release here.
