PORTLAND, Ore. -- Green infrastructure has come out of the laboratory and into the mainstream as a legitimate and necessary strategy for controlling urban watersheds, according to David Elkin, a landscape architect for GreenWorks, PC in Portland. Elkin, a former staffer with the city of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services, gave a presentation about the city's Green Streets program at the American Public Works Association's recent Sustainability in Public Works Conference in Portland.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Chesapeake Bay Trust, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the state of Maryland unveiled an expanded Green Streets-Green Jobs-Green Towns grant initiative to help cities and towns in the Chesapeake Bay watershed accelerate greening efforts that improve watershed protection, community livability, and economic vitality. Building on the success of the initial round of grants, this public-private partnership will award more than $400,000 in 2012, double the funding from 2011.

Recipient: Transportation, Florida Department of

Still reeling from back-to-back flash floods in 2010, Milwaukee is hoping green infrastructure will prevent its multi-billion-dollar "Deep Tunnel" system from being overwhelmed again.

Cruising through the tiny hamlet of West Union, Iowa, heading for the trout streams of rural Fayette County, a traveling sportsman might view the road construction as just another small-town street project under way. But, he would be wrong.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Maui County, Hawaii, hopes to examine how its small towns and rural areas can benefit from sustainably designed streets. These “green streets” will address issues from stormwater runoff, which, when not addressed, collects pollutants and stresses traditional water infrastructure. Maui’s green streets will be characterized by vegetative barriers and mediums that encourage the natural infiltration of runoff instead of moving water into an underground pipe network. The streets will also reduce flooding by slowing and absorbing runoff.

Recipient: Tuscaloosa, City of

Recipient: Transportation, California Department of

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Montevallo, Ala., is preserving its unique blend of college culture and country charm by making intentional decisions about expansion and development.

Recipient: Transportation, Missouri Department of

Recipient: Louisville-jefferson County Metro

Recipient: Dubuque, the City of (inc)

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo will sign a law to require state and local transportation agencies to consider "complete streets" designs that will make streets and roadways across the state safe and accessible to all New Yorkers.

Recipient: Newark, City of

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., -- A $200,000 grant announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will help fund projects to make South Philadelphia’s George W. Nebinger School and surrounding streets greener and healthier.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is providing $950,000 to help 17 communities expand green infrastructure use to improve water quality and protect people’s health and benefit communities. Green infrastructure uses vegetation and soil to manage rainwater where it falls, keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems and waterways in local communities. The EPA funding is intended to increase incorporation of green infrastructure into stormwater management programs, protect water quality, and provide community benefits including job creation and neighborhood revitalization.

Recipient: Transportation, Florida Department of

Recipient: Henderson, City of

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has selected Des Moines, Iowa, to receive technical assistance for green infrastructure design under its Greening America’s Capitals Program. The benefits for Iowa’s capital city will include wider sidewalks, narrower traffic lanes, better lighting, improved bus stop shelters, permeable pavement, and rain gardens that can minimize stormwater runoff.

NEW YORK CITY -- New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland unveiled four bioswales on Dean Street in the Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn that will help reduce and manage stormwater in the area. The bioswales are part of the NYC Green Infrastructure Plan, which proposes a total investment of $2.4 billion over the next 20 years in green infrastructure to improve harbor water quality by capturing and retaining stormwater runoff before it enters the sewer system. The city has also developed a maintenance protocol for upkeep of the bioswales.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- While new city bike lanes encourage motorists to go green and take a bike for their daily commute, some bike lanes are going green for a different reason, safety.

CLIFTON, N.J. -- Bus stop shelters are on duty 24/7, but seem to be napping when the sun goes down. In the midst of this recession many transit companies are expanding their routes into the sprawling suburbs to accommodate cost conscious commuters who are leaving their cars at home.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through its Greening America's Capitals project, will be partnering with the capital cities of Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi, Nebraska and the District of Columbia to create healthy communities through green development. GAC will help to stimulate economic development, provide more housing and transportation choices, and reduce infrastructure and energy costs. Through this project, EPA will provide design assistance from private-sector experts to help these capital cities demonstrate sustainable designs that create vibrant neighborhoods with multiple social, economic, environmental, and public health benefits.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is launching a new strategy to promote the use of green infrastructure by cities and towns to reduce stormwater runoff that pollutes our nation's streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Green infrastructure decreases pollution to local waterways by treating rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems. In addition to protecting Americans' health by decreasing water pollution, green infrastructure provides many community benefits including increased economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy savings and increased recreational and green space.