Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Energy, Water, and Land Use: A Framework for Incorporating Science into Sustainable Regional Planning
EPA Grant Number: R833362Title: Energy, Water, and Land Use: A Framework for Incorporating Science into Sustainable Regional Planning
Investigators: Taupier, Richard , Baker, Erin D. , Dorner, Sarah M. , Miller, Catherine
Institution: University of Massachusetts - Amherst
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: March 1, 2007 through January 31, 2010
Project Amount: $299,220
RFA: Collaborative Science And Technology Network For Sustainability (2006) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The long-term project objective is to advance efforts to achieve local, regional and global sustainability in the Pioneer Valley region of western Massachusetts and to serve as a model that can be applied in other regions of the country. To plan for sustainable growth in the region, we will work with the 43 communities in the Pioneer Valley to incorporate sustainability considerations and scientific information into land-use and infrastructure decisions, taking into account scientific uncertainty. The specific objectives are to make the concept of sustainability easy to understand and act on by involving stakeholders and the general public in a facilitated process to both define Pioneer Valley specific indicators of sustainability and identify specific and targeted actions to achieve sustainability. We will enhance communication regarding sustainability between interested parties in the Pioneer Valley and provide a vehicle for incorporating scientific information into regional and community-based decision making.
Conclusions:
- The establishment of an independent ongoing Sustainability Network in the Pioneer Valley.
- The provision of a model for establishing such networks elsewhere.
- The development of a process for defining sustainability indicators, combining top-down research with bottom-up preference elicitation.
- The development of a set of sustainability indicators for the Pioneer Valley.
- The development of a decision support tool to help homeowners make decisions about energy technologies using multiple attributes.
Supplemental Keywords:
ecosystem, planning, operations research, hydrology, public health, modeling, electricity industry, global climate, modeling, northeast, EPA region 1, Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, RFA, Pollution Prevention, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Environment, Energy, Ecology and Ecosystems, Environmental Monitoring, environmental sustainability, green design, environmental education, land use, ecological design, economic input output, energy efficiency, sustainable urban environment, alternative infrastructure design , RFA, Scientific Discipline, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Sustainable Environment, Energy, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Environmental Monitoring, Ecology and Ecosystems, green design, ecological design, environmental sustainability, alternative infrastructure design, community based, sustainable urban environment, energy efficiency, economic input output, environmental educationRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.