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COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE

Community Environmental Issue


Kenneth Boland
Environmental Science
February 9, 2014
Shanica !ollard
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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 $elaare %alley re"ion( )he main "oal o+ these re"ulations is to ensure that all
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C899:;I)< E;%I&8;9E;)7= ISS:E
develo*ment in the area meets the needs o+ the *resent without compromising the
ability of
future generations to meet their own needs. (World Commission on
Environment and
Development, 199!.
The first solution, which has to do with transportation issues, is to provide a safe,
convenient, and seamless passenger and freight multimodal transportation system that includes
highway, rail, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian mobility networks. Attaining this vision will require
modernizing the region's existing transportation infrastructure and identifying additional funding
sources to help pay for it. #$%&!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(
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&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
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