EPA Recognizes Georgia Neighborhood Community Project

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized The Conservation Fund and Park Pride with the regional 2016 EPA Rain Catcher Award in the Neighborhood and Community Category for the Lindsay Street Park project in Atlanta. The award was given at a ceremony during the EPA Region 4 International Erosion Control Association Municipal Wet Weather Storm Water Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

The Lindsey Street Park project involves the creation of a new green space through a community-driven process focused on environmental, economic and social justice outcomes to support a healthier and more vibrant neighborhood for area residents.

Green infrastructure (GI) features in the park include a large bioswale and a series of rain gardens that help to capture, slow and clean storm water runoff before it reaches the small tributary running across the park site. The new green space and all GI components were built in part by local residents who participated in a paid workforce-training program. The project involved more than 30 partners, including grassroots organizations such as Community Improvement Association, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and the Proctor Creek Stewardship Council. The Lindsey Street Park is a new green space serving as the first park in the English Avenue neighborhood in northwest Atlanta.

The EPA Region 4 Rain Catcher Award recognizes excellence in the implementation of storm water GI practices. GI uses natural or engineered systems designed to mimic natural processes to manage storm water and reduce receiving water impacts. EPA and its partner organizations have promoted the use of GI for many years as part of a comprehensive approach to achieving healthier waters. GI reduces the volume of storm water discharge by managing rainwater close to where it falls, and removes many of the pollutants present in runoff, making it an effective strategy for addressing wet weather pollution and improving water quality.

Source: EPA Region 4