Kenneth Boland Environmental Science February 9, 2014 Shanica !ollard !a"e 1 COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE The issue that I chose to write about concerns the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's (DVRPC) adoption of a plan called Connections. According to the report,Connections is a comprehensive blueprint that identifies important regional policies and planning objectives to maintain the region's infrastructure and promote a sustainable future #$%&!C, 2011'( )his *lan is es*ecially im*ortant to me and my +amily due to the +act that e utili,e the $elaare %alley re"ion +or a number o+ outdoor activites( )he main reason hy this is considered an environmental sustainability issue is that the *lan aims to -*rotect the area.s natural resources by reducin" stormater runo++, enhancin" air and ater /uality, increasin" local +ood *roduction, and *reservin" o*en s*ace, as ell as historical and cultural resources0 #$%&!C, 2011'( )his sustainability issue a++ects not only the *eo*le ho live and en1oy recreational activites in the area, but also the +ish and animals that are abundant throu"hout the re"ion( )he main cause o+ the issue is the im*rovement and e2*ansion o+ the trans*ortation system ithin the $elaare %alley re"ion( )he im*act that these im*rovements may have on the environment is e2tremely im*ortant, not only to the $%&!C, but also to the residents ho live in the re"ion( )here are several re"ulations in *lace that are desi"ned to reduce the e++ects that the construction and, ultimately, the continued use ill have on the environment( )he +our areas o+ concern are trans*ortation, economic, community, and environmental( By establishin" clear re"ulations in each o+ these areas, the commission +eel that they can not only im*rove each o+ these areas, but that they can also attain environmental sustainability by the year 2034( )he $%&!C has re"ulated much o+ the "roth in the re"ion since 1954( 6ith the coo*eration o+ local +ederal "overnment a"encies, such as the E!7, the $%&!C has been able to re"ulate not only this issue but many other issues concernin" the /uality o+ the air, ater, and land in the $elaare %alley re"ion( )he main "oal o+ these re"ulations is to ensure that all !a"e 2 C899:;I)< E;%I&8;9E;)7= ISS:E develo*ment in the area meets the needs o+ the *resent without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (World Commission on Environment and Development, 199!. The first solution, which has to do with transportation issues, is to provide a safe, convenient, and seamless passenger and freight multimodal transportation system that includes highway, rail, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian mobility networks. Attaining this vision will require modernizing the region's existing transportation infrastructure and identifying additional funding sources to help pay for it. #$%&!C, 2011'( )he re*ort "oes on to mention that $%&!C ill be trac>in" 12 re"ional indicators so that they can "au"e the re"ion.s *ro"ress toard achievin" this *lannin" *rinci*le( )he second solution to this *roblem deals ith Eco?Economy, or ho to build an ener"y e++icient economy( -)he !lan loo>s to create a more ener"y?e++icient economy by *rovidin" services ith less ener"y, *roducin" ener"y ith less C8 2 emissions, and reducin" the demand +or ener"y(0 #$%&!C, 2011'( )he third solution that is being proposed concerns the creation of livable communities. The DVRPC endorses strategies, such as improved transit service and recreational options, to reinvigorate (DVRPC, 2011) areas that have seen a significant amount of disinvestment in recent decades. (DVRPC, 2011). Finally, the Connections Plan offers a solution to deal with ways to manage growth and protect the natural resources in the region. One of the primary objectives of the Connections Plan is to provide better management of the region's land through smarter development practices. (DVRPC, 2011). It is inevitable that certain areas will require development. Transportation is one area in this region that is in desperate need of repair and development. Finding ways to improve transportation while ensuring environmental sustainability is an issue that it very important to everyone who lives and or>s there( !a"e 3 &EFE&E;CES $%&!C( $elaare %alley &e"ional !lannin" Commission, #2011'( Regional indicators for connections the regional plan for a sustainable future( &etrieved +rom ebsite@ htt*@AA(dvr*c(or"A=on"&an"e!lanA&e"ionalIndicatorsA $%&!C( $elaare %alley &e"ional !lannin" Commission, #2011'( Managing growth and protecting resources indicators( &etrieved +rom ebsite@ htt*@AA(dvr*c(or"A=on"&an"e!lanA&e"ionalIndicatorsAEnvironment(htm 6CE$( :nited ;ations, 6orld Commission on Environment and $evelo*ment( #199B'( Our common future: Report of the world commission on environment and development #7A42A42B'( &etrieved +rom ebsite@ htt*@AA(un?documents(netAoc+?02(htm !a"e 4