Earlier this month, President Obama used his authority under the 1906 Antiquities Act to designate Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia a National Monument. The significance of President Obama’s Proclamation cannot be overstated; it is the first time he has used this authority and Fort Monroe is a unique and historically important military base worth federal [...]
Filed under: green infrastructure, planning | Tagged: federal policy, monuments, national park service, waterfronts | 2 Comments »
Baltimore, Maryland—The U.S. Conference of Mayors has adopted a resolution put forth by the national urban parks advocacy organization City Parks Alliance that encourages greater support for urban parks from the Obama administration, U.S. Congress, U.S. mayors and the private sector. The resolution, stating that “Everyone in urban America should live within a short walk [...]
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Urban parks advocates from across the country traveled to Washington, DC this spring to lobby members of congress in support of city parks. Some key drivers for legislation throughout the year will include green infrastructure for wet weather management, urban revitalization, jobs, and energy savings. In addition to meetings with individual representatives, the Alliance for [...]
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On February 16th, President Obama launched the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative to develop a new conservation and recreation agenda. One of the key recommendations in the AGO report is to “Establish Great Urban Parks and Community Spaces” with a goal of creating and enhancing a new generation of safe, clean, accessible great urban parks [...]
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Last week, the Childhood Obesity Task Force released the action plan for the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” initiative. The plan contains 70 recommendations, including greater availability of healthy food, clearer nutritional information, and increased recreational opportunities for children, including improved access to safe parks, playgrounds, and indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. The Washington Post reported [...]
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Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move task force is out with its “action plan” that includes 70 recommendations, with some very encouraging words related to the provision of and access to urban parks. The report is extensive and covers nearly all of the issues related to childhood obesity, grouping them into five categories as follows: Getting children [...]
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Urban parks advocates from across the country traveled to Washington, DC, on Tuesday, April 20th to lobby members of congress in support of city parks. Forty park professionals participated in City Parks Alliance Day on the Hill, which consisted of a legislative overview, training session, and congressional office visits. Participants then attended the the Congressional [...]
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First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative kicked into gear last week with a summit of federal government leaders, researchers on childhood obesity and others. The Washington Post article on the event indicates some progress in making sure things like schoolyards and parks are part of the mix: Obama gathered about 100 suits, profs, politicos [...]
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The now signed-into-law health care bill, the Affordable Care Act includes new “community transformation grants” that could provide funds for playgrounds, recreational programs and the like that encourage “active living” and access to healthy food. The details and exact nature of this effort are unclear, as the ink has barely dried on the President’s twenty-pen [...]
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The U.S. Department of Transportation will now pursue the full inclusion of pedestrians and bicyclists in transportation projects. In a blog post, DOT Secretary Ray Lahood said, “This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.” According to the National Complete Streets Coalition: The statement details what agencies large and small [...]
Filed under: planning, transportation | Tagged: federal policy | 2 Comments »
