Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative
In May of 2021, EPA re-launched the Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative.
This cooperative effort fosters engagement and cooperation between agencies that actively work to promote the implementation of green infrastructure.
Collaborative members work closely to align knowledge and resources to build capacity for green infrastructure implementation. These coordinated efforts provide a platform to publicize the multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure. In addition, the collaborative seeks to facilitate strategies that foster climate resilience and encourage the equitable implementation of green infrastructure in all communities.
On this page:
Collaborative Members
Participating nonprofits, federal departments and agencies, and global government agencies are committed to promoting green infrastructure through their work. Current collaborative members include:
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Executive Office of the President, Council on Environmental Quality
- U.S. Agency for International Development
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- U.S. Forest Service
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- U.S. Economic Development Administration
- U.S. Depart of Defense
- U.S. Department of the Army
- U.S. Department of the Navy
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Department of Energy
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- National Park Service
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- Federal Highway Administration
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
- U.S. General Services Administration
- U.S. Global Change Research Program
- U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation
- World Health Organization
Is your federal agency interested in working with the Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative? Contact Robyn DeYoung at deyoung.robyn@epa.gov to discuss opportunities.
What's New
Department of Defense Resilience Project Funding Guide
On April 11, 2023 the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (REPI) released
2023 Resilience Project Funding Guide (PDF)
In coordination with federal agencies of the Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative, REPI created a guide that provides 27 funding programs for Nature-Based Solutions to improve resilience in communities and military installations. It contains a calendar, descriptions, eligibility requirements, and application information for each funding program. It also aligns each program with climate hazard categories: Drought, Wildfire, Coastal Hazard, Riverine Flooding, and Land Degradation.
White House Report on Green Infrastructure & Nature-Based Solutions
On November 8, 2022, the White House released a report, Opportunities to Accelerate Nature-Based Solutions: The Roadmap for Climate Progress, Thriving Nature, Equity, and Prosperity. Developed in partnership with the Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative members, the report provides five recommendations to accelerate nature-based solutions to confront climate change and other major challenges. There is a companion to the report, Nature-Based Solutions Resource Guide, that includes 30 case studies of federal agencies supporting green infrastructure as well as more than 170 knowledge resources, tools, guidance and technical assistance.
Read the recent OSTP blog, The Power of Nature at COP27 , and the OSTP Fact Sheet about the report and how it marks the first time the United States has developed a strategy to scale-up nature-based solutions to address climate change, nature loss and inequity.
Federal Funding Resources
Navigating Federal Funding for Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions (pdf)
Past Events
Webcast - Navigating Federal Funding for Green Infrastructure and Nature Based Solutions
- Tuesday, November 2, 2021; 1:00 - 12:30 PM, EDT
- Webcast Materials Available - Presentation Slides
During this webcast, members of the Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative discussed funding and technical assistance opportunities that advance the implementation of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. Attendees learned how federal programs are helping build vibrant and resilient communities with programs that support the design, construction, and maintenance of green infrastructure. Breakout sessions hosted by Collaborative members provided attendees with the opportunity to pose questions and interact directly with relevant federal agencies.
Speakers
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Charley Carson, Bradley Dean, Josh Human, Sarah Watling
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Matt Chasse
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Russel Ames, Kevin Farmer
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mindy Simmons
U.S. Department of Transportation
Elizabeth Habic
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Jorge Morales, B. Cory Schwartz, Seema Thomas
U.S. Economic Development Administration
Naomi Friedman
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Jacob Burney, Robyn DeYoung, Ellie Flaherty, Karen Fligger, Wynne Miller, Michael Goralczyk, Samantha Rachko, Santina Wortman
Regional Reflections on Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions: Northwest
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (AAAS EPI Center), the U.S. EPA Office of Water (EPA OW), and the White House is hosting the sixth in a series of webinars that highlight regional examples of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. This webinar features experts from the Northwest region who will discuss their unique experiences.
- Wednesday, October 12, 2022
- 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Eastern Time
- View recording here
Panelists
Nic Kinsman, White House
John Rozum, NOAA Digital Coast
Christina Toms, San Francisco Water Quality Control Board
Tracy Tackett, Seattle Public Utilities
Regional Reflections on Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions: Southwest
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (AAAS EPI Center), the U.S. EPA Office of Water (EPA OW), and the White House hosted the fifth in a series of webinars that highlight regional examples of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. This webinar featured speakers discussing their work across the Southwest to plan and implement unique green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.
- Thursday, September 1, 2022
- 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern Time
- View the recording here.
Panelists
Lydia Olander, Director for Nature-based Resilience, White House, CEQ
Blue Baldwin, Storm to Shade Program Manager, City of Tucson (AZ)
Sarah Hurteau, Executive Director, Integrated Biological Solutions, LLC
Sarah Anderson, Green Infrastructure Program Manager, Denver Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI)
Regional Reflections on Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions: Great Lakes
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (AAAS EPI Center), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water (EPA OW), and the White House hosted another in a series of webinars that highlight regional examples of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. This webinar featured expert speakers discussing their work across the Great Lakes to plan and implement unique green Infrastructure and nature-based solutions.
- Wednesday, July 27, 2022
- 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern Time
- View the recording here
Panelists
Kelly Coffman, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP – Principal Planner, Cleveland Metroparks
Breanne L. Plier, AICP, Manager of Sustainability, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Sara McMillan, Associate Professor, Purdue University
Dr. Nic Kinsman, Coastal Resilience Interagency Working Group Co-Lead, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Regional Reflections on Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions: Gulf Coast and Southeast
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (AAAS EPI Center), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water (EPA OW), and the White House hosted a webinar that highlighted regional examples of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. This webinar will feature expert speakers from the Gulf Coast and southeastern states.
- Thursday, June 23, 2022
- 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Eastern Time
- View the recording here
Panelists
Dr. Nic Kinsman, Coastal Resilience Interagency Working Group Co-Lead, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Dr. Angela Chalk, Founder and Executive Director of Healthy Community Services
Amy Pickle, Director of State Policy Program, Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions
Dr. Christine Shepard, Director of Science, Gulf of Mexico Program, The Nature Conservancy
Regional Reflections on Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions: Mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (AAAS EPI Center), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water (EPA OW), and the White House hosted the first in a series of webinars that highlighted regional examples of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. In this event, David J. Hayes, Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy, provided a keynote address. Expert panelists then shared opportunities, challenges, barriers, and lessons learned from the design and planning to implementation to operations and maintenance of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions unique to the Mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay region.
- Monday, May 23, 2022
- 3:00pm – 4:30pm
- View the recording here
Welcome and Keynote Address
David J. Hayes, Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy
Panelists
Matt Johnson, Branch Chief, Green Infrastructure Incentives and Assessment Branch, District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment
Jeffrey King, Deputy National Lead and Program Manager, Engineering With Nature® Program, US Army Corps of Engineers
Krystal Laymon, Deputy Director for Climate Resilience, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Samantha Rachko, Life Scientist and a Grants Project Officer, State and Watershed Partnerships Section, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3
Barriers to Equitable Implementation of Green Infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions: Part 2 with States and Municipalities
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (EPI Center), the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), and the U.S. EPA's Office of Water co-hosted a panel discussion with representatives of state agencies, decision-makers, and their associations who shared their experiences accessing and utilizing federal resources for green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. They discussed challenges, barriers, opportunities, and lessons-learned from design and planning to implementation as well as operations and maintenance.
- Tuesday, March 29, 2022
- 1:00pm - 2:30pm
- View the recording here.
- Read more about the panel discussion here.
Panelists
Lori Beary, former Community Development Director and State Revolving Fund Coordinator, Iowa Finance Authority
Felicia Marcus, William C. Landreth Visiting Fellow, Stanford University's Water in the West Program, and former Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board
Tancred Miller, Policy & Planning Section Chief of Coastal Management, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Dr. Bhaskaran Subramanian, Program Manager, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and former Chief of Shoreline Conservation Service at Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Mackenzie Todd, Coastal Resilience Specialist, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Barriers to Equitable Implementation of Green Infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions: Part 1 with NGOs and Communities
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (EPI Center), the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), and the U.S. EPA's Office of Water co-hosted a panel discussion with representatives of state agencies, decision-makers, and their associations who shared their experiences accessing and utilizing federal resources for green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. They discussed challenges, barriers, opportunities, and lessons-learned from design and planning to implementation as well as operations and maintenance.
- Tuesday, March 3, 2022
- 1:00pm - 2:30pm
- View recording here.
- Read more about the panel discussion here.
- Summary of Key Takeaways
Panelists
Dr. Angela Chalk, Founder and Executive Director, Healthy Community Services
Paula Connolly, Director, Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange
Harriet Festing, Executive Director, Anthropocene Alliance
Tanner Yess, Co-Executive Director, Groundwork Ohio River Valley
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Session 5 of 8 in the webinar series, Showcasing Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation: Experiences from the Water Sector to Empower Other Sectors and Communities. This session described community experience in deciding to use green stormwater infrastructure, monetizing and quantifying benefits, developing critical stakeholder partnerships, and using available tools to evaluate options to include in adaptation plans.
- Thursday, January 6, 2022
- 1:00 - 2:30 pm, EST
- View the presentation here
Speakers
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
Pinar Balci, Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Robyn DeYoung, Office of Wastewater Management
Corona Consulting
Janet Clements, Water Economics and Planning
Equity and Environmental Justice Considerations in Climate Adaptation
Session 4 of 8 in the webinar series, Showcasing Leading Practices in Climate Adaptation: Experiences from the Water Sector to Empower Other Sectors and Communities. This session highlights how equity can influence community goals and build partnerships with lessons learned and solutions to build equity while adapting to climate change.
- Thursday, December 9, 2021
- 1:00 - 2:30 pm EST
- Webinar Recording Here
Speakers
U.S. Water Alliance
Mami Hara
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Yeana Kwagh, Chris Orvin and Zach Shafer
Anthropocene Alliance
Harriett Festing
AAAS Federal Convening on Green and Nature-based Infrastructure
The American Association for the Advancement of Science's Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues hosted a convening for federal employees and contractors working on green and nature-based infrastructure. Attended by representatives from 12 federal agencies and planned in collaboration with the US EPA Office of Water Green Infrastructure staff, the convening discussions focused on identifying successful models, lessons learned, data gaps, challenges and barriers, and opportunities for collaboration.
- November 9 &10, 2021
- Summary of Key Takeaways from the the Meeting and List of Participating Federal Agencies
Collaborative History
The Green Infrastructure Federal Collaborative initiated in May of 2021 is a continuation of work that began in 2014 with the support of federal, state, and non-profit stakeholders across the water sector. A Green Infrastructure Collaborative Statement of Support (pdf) details commitments from original collaborative members representing a wide variety of government and non-government organizations. The Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) of 2019 further solidified federal commitments to green infrastructure. WIIA amended Section 502 of the Clean Water Act to define green infrastructure as "the range of measures that use plant or soils systems, permeable pavement or other permeable surfaces or substrates, stormwater harvest and reuse, or landscaping to store, infiltrate, or evapotranspire stormwater and reduce flows to sewer systems or to surface waters." WIIA also directed EPA to coordinate efforts with federal, state, tribal, and local governments to increase the use of green infrastructure, providing an impetus for collaborative efforts to continue to evolve.
The current collaborative is a federal initiative. Members work regularly with external organizations at the national, state, and local levels to develop resources, engage with the public, and advance the implementation of green infrastructure.