EPA praises Portland for its leadership in green urban growth practices (OR)
(Dec. 1, 2010 - Seattle) Portland’s
commitment to environmentally-friendly urban growth has garnered
the city an esteemed
Smart Growth award from
EPA. The city’s
“Making the Greatest Place” effort is one of only five
initiatives across the nation recognized today by the
agency.
The award recognizes Portland Metro’s
preparation for green urban growth in the coming decades under its
2040 Growth Concept. The “Making the Greatest Place”
effort focuses on compact communities, employment areas and
transportation around the city, which anticipates a 600,000 leap in
its population by 2030.
In addition, the initiative places great
importance on responsible land use to protect farms and forests
from urban growth in the coming decades.
The agency also recognized New York City,
Baltimore, San Francisco and Maine for their smart growth
plans.
Currently, over 90 percent of the Portland-area
residents live within a half mile of transit. The average Portland
resident drives four fewer miles per day than residents of other
comparable U.S. cities. Together, the programs and policies created
by “Making the Greatest Place” help Portland’s
compact neighborhoods thrive and reduce the need to expand the
region’s urban growth boundary.
The award winners embody the principles behind
EPA’s work with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation under the
Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The agencies are improving
access to affordable housing and providing more transportation
options at lower costs while protecting the environment. By
investing in existing communities and assets found in rural,
suburban and urban settings, they are also finding ways to spur new
economic development and opportunity.
