EPA to Provide Building Blocks Assistance to Orange County, Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. (April 23, 2021) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Orange County, Florida will receive technical assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program.
This year, EPA has selected four communities to receive technical assistance through the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The program provides quick, targeted technical assistance to selected communities using a variety of results-based tools. These tools stimulate discussions about growth and development and strengthen local capacity to implement sustainable approaches.
“Through the Building Blocks program, EPA continues to help communities improve quality of life, and become more economically and environmentally sustainable,” said EPA Acting Region 4 Administrator John Blevins. “This program provides not only tools but a pathway towards additional resources designed specifically to build resilience and strengthen communities.”
“We are excited to collaborate with EPA and municipalities in order to achieve the broader vision of regional resilience and enhance our community's ability to meet future challenges,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings.
“We look forward to the continued partnership with Orange County and neighboring municipalities to enhance regional resiliency. As we continue to respond and recover from the pandemic, it is evident that such continued collaboration is critical through any challenge our communities face,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
Orange County’s goal is to integrate various resilience plans, which include hazard mitigation plans, climate vulnerability plans, comprehensive plans, and economic development plans. Many economically vulnerable people in the coastal areas nearby are at risk of losing their homes due to environmental factors such as flooding, hurricanes, and sea level rise. The action plan will act on creating a streamlined county-wide implementation and funding strategy for absorbing climate refugees and increasing community resilience to climate threats. The action plan will also assist in positioning the community for new grant opportunities to fund mitigation of climate impacts.
For more information on Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/building-blocks-sustainable-communities