Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, 13 other federal agencies, and non-governmental partners pledged their recommitment to the Urban Waters Federal Partnership and celebrated the partnership’s tenth anniversary. Through the program, twenty partnership locations across the country work to advance economic, public health, environmental and social benefits by enhancing community connections to water.
“With the 10th anniversary of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership and the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, EPA is celebrating transformational improvements to our waters—including in our urban centers,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “The Urban Waters Federal Partnership is supporting communities across the country, from the Bronx to Los Angeles to our newest location—the Rio Reimagined project in Arizona. I look forward to accelerating this progress with our renewed commitment.”
The Urban Waters Federal Partnership brings together 15 federal agencies to work collaboratively with local communities and partners to restore urban waterways and their environments to boost recreational opportunities, help local economies, create jobs and protect the health of Americans. The federal agencies currently support 20 locations across the nation with financial and technical assistance to address community-driven priorities. The Partnership also provides support to additional underserved communities with seed funding for local projects and public education through the Urban Waters Learning Network.
“The Urban Waters Federal Partnership Program recognizes that communities and clean water are integral to one another,” said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. “For decades, this partnership program has demonstrated that restoring waterways reinvigorates communities by preserving areas that serve as natural flood protection, fish and wildlife habitat, and beautiful places where Americans can work and play safely outdoors. It’s an honor to celebrate this milestone by reaffirming our commitment to advancing environmental justice, connecting people to nature, and tackling the climate crisis.”
