NATURAL RESOURCES WORKING GROUP
INTERIM REPORT – OCTOBER 2009

INTRODUCTION

Below you will find our collective vision, indicators, and how the two might be applied to natural resources in the Southcoast region.  In the Results section (below), you will also find examples of how the stated indicators might be applied to specific categories of natural resources, and also a discussion of potential barriers to reaching stated sustainability goals.  At the end of this report, you will find natural resource sub-group reports, giving detailed information answering the major questions posed by the Council for each sub-category.  These sub-reports should be read to supplement the main points discussed in this report.

VISION

Natural resources are primarily defined by three considerations, or ways of seeing: scarcity (supply/demand), equity (distributional issues), and value (a consideration of all relevant values implicit in any given natural resource).  These three primary considerations are interrelated.  For instance, the value of a natural resource is measured, in part, based on its scarcity (its relative availability), and its equitable distribution (forces such as privatization can act to increase value at the expense of limiting access).

The current vision articulated is to have a general policy developed around natural resource use that integrates three primary considerations: scarcity, equity, and value.  These three considerations are guiding principles that should be used to evaluate the manner in which natural resources are being used in the Southcoast region.  In addition, where sufficient information exists, we suggest the following guidelines to be applied to specific natural resource areas:

1. Identify those natural resources in the South Coast area that are most critically threatened with depletion, destruction or severe damage, or conversely most in need of special efforts to achieve long term sustainability.  These will most likely be natural resources, such as potable water, that people cannot live without, or that would seriously impact the quality of life of large segments of the population if they were significantly diminished.

2. Research whether any standards have already been established by governments or scientific bodies for protecting these natural resources and what programs, if any, are already in place for trying to achieve those standards.

3. Evaluate whether these standards and programs appear to be sufficient to achieve sustainability of the critical natural resources for the foreseeable future.

4. If not, consider what we might do to promote the protection of those resources.

5. If there are some critical natural resources for which no accepted standards or protective measures exist, consider what we might do to try to encourage appropriate groups to determine and set such standards and design programs to achieve them.

6. Work with the other groups of the Sustainability Council to help them understand the critical limits on scarce natural resources, and explore ways in which their interests and agendas might be modified to minimize the adverse impact on critical resources.

The initial work of the committee has focused on answering the “what” question of natural resources (what do we have in the Southcoast?, what is the current condition of these resources?, and what are the current trends of these resources?).  Based on what has been identified above, it is apparent we also need to move towards identifying and choosing what might be considered “critical natural resources” in the Southcoast region.  It is recommended we use, where applicable, objective third-party information in indentifying “critical” natural resources, and ensure such identification is based on well-established scientific factors.  We believe the Council should consider establishing a council-level “implementation” group that is charged with the “six-step” process above, as well as monitoring how activities and trends in the Southcoast might impact the three categories of values or indicators identified above.  We recommend ultimately building a regional policy plan focusing on sustainable factors, similar to that recently developed by the Cape Cod Commission – plan can be downloaded here: http://www.capecodcommission.org/RPP/home.htm.

INDICATORS

The “thematic” indicators we have established are “categorical” in nature, representing a way in which sustainable thinking is applied to human interactions with natural resources.  The categorical indicators, taken from our vision, above, are as follows:

• Scarcity
• Equity
• Value

These indicators are explained within the context of specific natural resource categories immediately below in the Results section.

In addition to these thematic indicators, we also can immediately identify specific indicators based on an assessment of “critical and threatened natural resources.” We can use this language (critical and threatened) as an indicator itself.  For example, if we determine certain resources in the Southcoast exhibit qualities of critical and/or threatened natural resources (say a specific groundwater system for drinking water purposes), then we can identify this resource as a priority area for protection purposes.  We can then assess various human activities that might impact this resource (land development, extraction rates, other land uses within the area, etc.), and make recommendations on how to limit negative impacts.  These recommendations can include “best management practices,” and other means of education to local governing bodies.

RESULTS

Initial results indicate responses to our natural resources are categorized as reactionary in nature.  This suggests most policies and practices identified under each natural resource category (possibly with the exception of education) do not fully articulate a proactive approach to the three considerations identified in our vision (scarcity, equity, value).  A true “sustainable” approach to natural resource “management” needs to adopt a more holistic and proactive approach.  This can begin with a clearer consideration and adoption of the three indicators as core principles in any policy-related endeavor.  A discussion of how this might be done follows below.

In addition to this general reactionary nature of policies when it comes to sustainable thinking, we also have a suggested approach to implementing the specific indicators outlined above (those identifying critical and threatened natural resources).   After the discussion of implementing the three thematic indicators, this report includes a summary of how these critical and threatened natural resources might be identified and managed within a sustainable context.  The relationship between thematic and specific indicators is shown below in the following diagram:

Thematic Indicators

Principle #1: Scarcity

A true sustainable (proactive) understanding of scarcity requires some identified “yardstick” from which ongoing human interactions may be measured against.  For instance, best practices might include the Southcoast measuring its “ecological capacity” to endure development.  This may include the mapping of ecological zones and corridors based on a best scientific assessment of what may be considered a “healthy ecosystem.”  Some quantity of total development for each “eco-region” can then be determined (even if this number is somewhat arbitrary – many policies are developed an enacted not because they are the most efficient choice, but because they are the most expedient choice).  This “ecological capacity” would then be integrated (de-centralized) into the town-management level.  Each town then, as part of its zoning and land use planning, would use this new metric (total development within each zone) as a maximum for development purposes.  In this way, we have established a proactive, if not precise, measure from which “scarcity” can then be determined (normal economic principles of supply and demand).

Although the example above focuses on land use, it is easy to extrapolate how proactive quantification can work in other natural resource areas.  For example, determining a minimum quantity of potable water sources, or a total carbon intensity limit for climate change considerations.  The point is to understand the principle itself as a driver of establishing, implementing, and maintaining sustainable goals.

The Natural Resources group has identified a number of instances where this principle is being practiced at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as by non-governmental entities.  For example, in education, the Massachusetts Curriculum frameworks directly address natural resources education (http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html).  This is also true under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2009.[1] (It can be reasonably assumed environmental and natural resource literacy of children is a proactive measure in establishing a sustainable “mindset” when it comes to the utilization of these resources)

In other areas, policies have been developed to establish “limits” (quantities).  For example, traditional policies surrounding clean air have been implemented since the 1970s limiting the total amount of criteria pollutants for a particular area (airshed).  However, these policies are not truly proactive (as required by our definition), and also focus more on human health considerations as the main impetus or driver of regulation.  Still, recent policies have been identified that show greater levels of promise.  A number are summarized below:

• The Global Warming Solutions Act, (GWSA).  Signed into law in 2008 by Gov. Patrick.  This is a comprehensive regulatory program focusedon greenhouse gases and climate change.
• Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) and the state’s Office of Technical Assistance (OTA).  The Act and the technical assistance offered by OTA over the past two decades have helped to reduce the amount of toxic air pollutants through improved Industrial practices and pollution mitigation measures from stationary sources.
• Smart Growth initiatives promoted by the state, including efforts to address mobile and stationary sources of pollution (transportation and localized).
• DEP/EEA grants to cities and towns for work related to waste reduction, greenhouse gas emissions, energy saving measures, etc.
• Green Communities Act (GCA), was signed into law by Gov. Patrick in 2008, focuses on energy efficiency and development of renewable energy resources.
• Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), is a cooperative effort of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (a cooperative venture along these lines is extremely important as MA air quality is impacted by wind/weather in the northeast corridor from Penn. to MA).

It is suggested that any policy above which encourages Southcoast governments to implement sustainable planning principles (establish a total quantity or measure) should be highlighted and exploited as a means of obtaining overall support towards the Council’s objectives.

Principle #2: Equity

As stated above, equity is a distributional consideration.  When it comes to natural resources, we tend to find greater levels of distribution amongst resources when those resources are publicly held (national parks, public trust doctrine, etc.).  Where resources are privately held (land for example), it can be hard to consider proactive policies focusing on sustainable outcomes (especially where redistribution is required).  For instance, the establishment of new land restrictions is limited by constitutional considerations (takings under the 5^th Amendment).  However, commitments to planning efforts can limit any potential negative outcomes (for example, focusing land use planning around public nuisance considerations as a means of “side-stepping” regulatory takings claims).

A separate distributional question is temporal in nature.  While we may focus on the needs of today’s generation, sustainability requires us to consider future generations, requiring our “planning” for distributional questions to be somewhat extended beyond normal government timeframes.  Water resources is a prime example of this temporal component.  Current trends in water resources for the Southcoast identified by our group include:

• Move toward protection of Aquifers by enacting laws to restrict removal of soil so that there’s a minimum of 4 to 10 feet of soil depth to the top of any aquifer.
• Nitrogen problem at this time has its major sources from; surface runoff – lawn fertilizers, buildings, nature, agriculture farming.
• The Plymouth Carver Aquifer covers 140 sq. miles and at present is not in any danger from nitrogen or pollutants. The warning is to watch for development that could cause contamination to the Aquifer.

Suggested policy questions surrounding distributional issues for the Council’s consideration include:

• Will we have enough with out controlled growth?
• Will the water resources we have allow sustainability of our population, plants, and manufacturing for the future?
• How do we protect it?
• Can we find a substitute or can it be reproduced/synthesized?  Thru education and legislation can we provide sustainability of water?

Principle #3: Value

In discussing value, we have adopted the following equation (adapted from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx):

Total Use Value = Direct Use Value + Indirect Use Value + Non-use Value

or

Total Ecosystem Services = Provisioning Services + Regulating Services + Cultural Services

The concept suggests, for sustainability considerations, human interactions should contemplate, proactively, how the human interaction potentially affects all categories of values identified above.  Ideally each category is given equal weight.  Decisions should be made only after a full consideration (including tradeoffs) of the likely impacts/benefits of human actions towards each category.

For natural resource purposes, land use decisions are a prime example of how value might be proactively considered from a sustainability standpoint.  For example, an ideal scenario might be a state statute (or state constitutional requirement as in California) that requires local land use decisions to fully consider the impacts of such decisions on the basis of relevant factors (for our purposes, we can say these factors might represent the consideration of the different categories of values in a particular land use decision – planning and zoning board level for instance).  Any proposed plan seeking development of an area would have to fully consider the categorical impacts of the plan (how does the proposed development affect the direct, indirect, and non-use values of the immediate area?).  If the immediate area, for example, was within an identified aquifer “zone” (meaning the area was an important buffer zone for a resource), then the particular “support” services of the land (for the provisioning of water, the regulating of water quality, and the cultural importance as it links water with the larger social fabric of the community) would all have to be evaluated and considered by the regulating entities prior to issuing a development right.

Temporally, these same categories might affect development considerations by implicating the long-term effects of development decisions.  For instance, intensive development might impact the provisioning services of an area (removing all farmland to provide sub-divisions make the local community dependant on food cultivation from other regions).  It may also impact long-term regulating services (developing along the coastal Southcoast can impact nutrient enrichment of coastal inlets, leading to water quality impacts – reducing shellfish viability, impacting groundwater quality, etc.).  Finally, intensive development, over time, can also erode the cultural uniqueness of a particular area, and this is especially true of the Southcoast, which derives a good amount of its value from its historical and cultural identity.

Thus, value is an important consider, if evaluated correctly, that can add to the overall sustainable assessment and policy implementation in the Southcoast region.  Natural resources are available to provide the various categories of values identified (provisioning, regulating, and cultural), but sustainable policies must take full account of these various categories, and they must do so before natural resource decisions are made.

Specific Indicators – Critical and Threatened Natural Resources

To initiate this process of establishing specific indicators, the committee would suggest a focus on one or two critical and threatened natural resources and see how we might work through the 6 steps listed above in the “vision” and  section of the report.  Once such resource might be water in Buzzards Bay, or water in the estuaries of Buzzards Bay, for which there are already well established federal and state standards and programs.  Another possible resource could be potable water for human consumption, where, again, there are existing standards and programs.  In both these cases, the standards are scientifically set and the main questions may be whether those standards are sufficient and whether the existing programs are appropriate and adequate for achieving them.  A third possibility could be air quality especially in proximity of existing power plants and industrial facilities.  In each of these cases we would be trying to determine the importance of the natural resource for all, or parts, of this Southcoast area, and whether the existing or proposed programs for protecting them are both sufficient and efficient ways of achieving the sustainability objective.

CONCLUSION

The committee believes the sustainable management of natural resources requires a commitment to sustainable principles in general, and a need to see the implementation of those principles in specific areas where possible.  The thematic indicators represent a set of principles that should guide sustainable decisionmaking, and should be applied to any potential human action that utilizes natural resources of the Southcoast.  Continued efforts to identify general categories of resources (potentially similar to those categories identified in the Cape Cod Commission’s Regional Policy Plan) should be one focus of the Council.  A second concurrent focus should be the identification of specific natural resource areas that are currently under threat.  These specific indicators should be identified, and action plans created to stem further deterioration.  Ultimately, these specific plans would be integrated into a larger regional policy plan.  We have given an example of a specific indicator, in the form of nitrogen management, above.  Finally, the committee recommends the Council establish some specific goals pertaining to natural resource use, in-line with the recommendations made in this interim report.

END OF REPORT.

[1] No Child Left Inside Act of 2009 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states, as a prerequisite to receiving implementation grants, to develop environmental literacy plans, approved by the Secretary of Education, for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 that include environmental education standards and teacher training. Directs the Secretary to award Environmental Education Professional Development Grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, institutions of higher education (IHE), other educational entities, or federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, for activities involving, among other things, teacher training and the development of more rigorous environmental education curricula that advance the teaching of interdisciplinary courses. Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, IHEs, other educational entities, federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, or park and recreation departments, for activities to improve and support environmental education that include:
(1) advancing content and achievement standards;
(2) developing or disseminating innovations or model programs; and
(3) research.

Southeastern Massachusetts Council on Sustainability
Energy Working Group

November 2009

Vision: Become a force for developing a clean, healthy, and sustainable energy future for Southeastern Massachusetts.

Principles: Regional response, equity, energy-literate public, prioritize conservation measures

Goal:  Promote Energy Literacy

Actions:

• Develop a coordinated public education campaign including information about Peak Oil, weatherization and conservation options, phantom loads, etc.
• Develop a lending library of sustainability tools, kilowatt-measuring devices, weatherization equipment, etc.
• Develop webcasts, videocasts, u-tube videos on energy-related matters
• Help to spread the word through energy fairs, energy panels, community education

Goal:  Promote Energy Conservation Through All Possible Means

• Develop a Social marketing plan  for weatherization projects.
• Research and disseminate best practices for community mobilization including group energy audits, block-by-block weatherization schemes, energy plans for schools like Joe Yarmac’s,  etc.
• Develop a clearinghouse for energy information
• Support Demonstration Projects that can be scaled up quickly, eg, warming centers, barn raising, etc.
• Develop a Certification Program for Contractors
• Ensure that all new buildings are ‘green’ and energy efficient.
• Have region be poised to do projects when people are ready to spend; structures to spend energy dollars.

Goal:  Promote increased use of renewable energy resources by all

Goal:  Provide support for communities around energy issues

• Develop regional cooperative energy buying
• Regional grantwriting team
• Tool box situation for best practices—different communities need different tools.
• Develop internship training programs that teach students and community members how to do baseline energy and carbon assessment.
• Have forum for municipal energy coordinators and Green Communities liaisons.
• Consider a regional energy coordinator for smaller communities.

Goal:  Research and Disseminate Energy Use Information

Use NSTAR to help collect and regionalize normative data, perhaps on a black by block area.

Goal:  Remove Barriers to Re-newable Energy Development

• Publicize model by-laws for municipalities
• Disseminate information about the ‘true’ cost of the use of fossil fuels to combat the NIMBY attitude regarding renewable energy developments.
• Energy

INDICATORS:

• Regional Energy Mix
• Energy use by households
• Number of homes weatherized during certain periods and further divided by income/size (eg:  number weatherized through governmental programs; through rebate programs, etc.)
• Renewable Energy Capacity added to region during specified period.

Immediate Actions for the Council (not necessarily confined to energy)

Coordinated Public Education Campaign about Peak Oil and Climate Change.  Perhaps develop a slide show and teach ‘presenters’ from several communities to give the slide show broadly throughout the region.  Alarmist without being fearful, like preparing for a hurricane.

Convene energy leaders, including new energy coordinators, the Green Communities Regional coordinator, utilities people, and others working on energy issues for a half-day symposium/meeting to discuss coordinating efforts as we move forward.

Choose a few high visibility ‘model’ projects like a block-wide weatherization plan or developing a ‘warming’ center, that can be publicized and scaled-up quickly.

A list of ‘low-hanging’ fruit steps for municipalities to take to start on the sustainability road.

Investigate the development of a Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Mutual Fund to funnel private dollars into weatherization and other sustainability projects.

Sustainable Transportation Working Group,
Southeastern Massachusetts Council on Sustainability

DRAFT 11-9-09

NOTE:
We were tasked to

1. Articulate a vision
2. Set goals and actions to achieve the vision in the relevant area.
   1. Short Term (2020)
   2. Long Term (2050)
   3. Immediate Actions
3. Suggest indicators (no more than 5-6) to measure progress towards achieving those goals
4. Identify barriers to reaching goals (legal, behavioral, institutional, educational) with specific examples where possible
5. Identify who is responsible for achieving goals and actions (from #2 above)
6. Identify overlap with other working groups/functional areas
7. Suggest need for future research

Proposed Vision:

Southeastern Massachusetts has a transportation system that supports and promotes communities that are livable, green, fiscally responsible and designed for people rather than cars.  Our transportation system is:

• Socially sustainable, by providing equitable access to jobs, education, and services for all residents;
• Environmentally sustainable, by minimizing negative impact on climate change and by promoting human and environmental health;
• Economically sustainable, by maximizing efficiency through coordinated use of transportation assets and coordination with land use, by creating jobs, and by increasing access to employment and education.

Long term goal (2050): SE Mass is a “sustainable transportation hub” with a wide range of alternative modes of transportation; coordination of transportation resources and inter-modal links; planning and land use policies that support a variety of travel modes; and government, business and community support for mobility management and sustainable transportation policies and networks.

Short term goal (2020): Raise public awareness about impacts of transportation choices and increase use of transportation alternatives.  Reduce impacts of fossil fuels on the climate and the environment.

Proposed Policy priorities:

• Commuter rail link to Boston, with effective inter-modal links
• Increasing bicycle and pedestrian paths and connections
• Sustainable zoning and land use planning
• Prioritize funding to improve public transit and shared transportation resources – including technology (intelligent transportation systems, Google transit, fare payment, etc.).
• Mobility management
• Fill the gaps in transportation connections within the region and to other regions, integrating all available transportation resources.
• Short sea shipping for freight transportation

Goals and Actions (Identify who is responsible for each.)

Immediate actions  (Who will take the lead for each action?  Timeline?  Steps? Resources?)

1. Sponsor a “Transportation Fair” for public awareness of transit and other alternative modes, increase communication among local transportation resources, etc.
2. Continue work on Southeastern Massachusetts Transportation Coordination project to inventory all transportation resources and identify transportation needs (and increase awareness).
3. Add sustainability to SRPEDD transportation project evaluation criteria for projects.
4. Inventory funding sources for sustainable transportation actions and potential applicants.
5. Learn more about rideshare and other options (Alternative Rides; biking and pedestrian possibilities; Zipcar; Zipbike).
6. Create list of expanded contacts for Transportation WG:  Transportation Joint Legislative Committee; Department of Public Health Healthy Communities; Mass. Sustainable Transportation Planner Catherine Cagle; Mass. Transit Director John Englert.
7. Invite speakers/experts:  MassRIDES to discuss use of their resources in SE Mass; Catherine Cagle, new Manager of Sustainable Programs at MassDOT; Kristin Decas New Bedford Harbor; Mass Bicycle Coalition; Jeff Brown, Ridebuzz; other biking and pedestrian speakers; etc.
8. Promote service learning connections between student curriculum and specific projects with partners.  Schedule independent learning projects for next semester with faculty.
9. Develop a checklist of sustainable actions.  Encourage communities to do by developing a sustainable (transportation) “seal of approval” program to promote smart policies, developments, practices etc. undertaken by governments, businesses, organizations and individuals.
10. Get all 27 municipalities to sign onto Council and develop a list of shared priorities.

Long-term Actions

#1. Develop and advocate for policy changes that support sustainable transportation goals. (Policy Subcommittee from each Working Group)

Strategy

1. Research effects of institutional barriers and potential solutions.
2. List potential policy changes and rationale for each.
3. List who needs to be involved and engage all partners.
4. Meet with government leaders.

#2. Raise public awareness and understanding of the consequences of individual, corporate and institutional transportation choices. (SRPEDD, Council, Transportation Working Group, University and colleges, Regional Transit Authority, Mass Rides, local committees)

1. Work with Council and Working Groups to produce a comprehensive regional transportation/land use/economic development plan that coordinates priorities and recommendations and has a vision for the future landscape of Southeastern Massachusetts that considers climate change and energy strategies. 
2. Include sustainability criteria in criteria for TIP projects and other regional projects
3. Give sustainable “stamp of approval” to communities in region applying for competitive State grant funding.  Provide recognition to “sustainable communities” who take positive actions for sustainability.
4. Stimulate Faculty at educational institutions to reform curriculum that incorporates sustainability, smart growth and transportation impacts on the environment. Connect these students with town select boards and other outreach activities that further the Council’s goals.
5. Create a public education campaign (using billboards, CATV, video meetings, You Tube, videos to schools, social media) to:  
   1. raise awareness about fuel conservation, including 55mph driving and proper inflation of tires; drive less, combine errands, walk more; buy from local suppliers;
   2. Mass Rides programs;
   3. Increase support for expanded public transit, ride-sharing and other alternative modes
6. Create a campaign targeted to employers about employee incentives for carpooling, transit, biking and walking (e.g. extra mileage reimbursement based on number of people in car; guaranteed ride home, preferred parking spaces, reduced parking permit cost, reduced cost to develop parking).
7. Schedule “No Car Zone” days and activities in urban centers.

#3. Increase availability and user-friendliness of alternative modes of travel (biking, walking, public transit, shared rides, etc.) (Municipalities, SRPEDD, Council, Regional Transit Authorities, Executive Office of Transportation, local committees, schools)

A sample list of actions follows:

1. Review local zoning and plans with a sustainability screen and make changes to support sustainable transportation goals.
2. Create incentives for new businesses that support sustainable transportation goals, e.g., zip bikes, shared cars, smart jitneys, retrofitting vehicles with clean technology.
3. Install bicycle, walking and transit enhancements.
4. Incorporate intelligent transportation systems (ITS)--such as universal fare payment, Google transit, corridor management and communication systems—into transportation systems.
5. Inventory existing and potential bicycle and pedestrian networks and develop a plan for improving safety and connectivity.
6. Inventory existing and potential public transportation networks and develop a plan to increase connectivity within the region and with other regions.
7. Create a one-stop transportation information resource.
8. Request Mass Rides to improve promotion of their programs in the region and encourage businesses and institutions to participate.
9. Inventory existing vehicle fleets and transportation expenditures in the region in order to coordinate the use of existing transportation resources through cooperative agreements.
10. Identify potential Transportation Management Areas and investigate interest and available funding for their establishment.

#4. Implement clean energy transportation technology wherever possible.  (Who does this?)

1. Study viability of sail transportation via waterways.
2. Attract businesses related to alternative energy technology.
3. Develop an intern program with colleges, universities and high schools to retrofit existing fleets/vehicles to use biodiesel or other clean fuel; retrofit fleets with filters to reduce air pollution, etc.
4. Support incentives for transit and private transportation to invest in hybrid and clean fuel technology vehicles.

#5.  Recognize and support Mobility Management to maximize the use of existing transportation resources.  (Who takes the lead?  What are the steps?)

Mobility Management is a way of managing all community transportation resources that emphasizes moving people instead of focusing on a particular mode of transportation.   A Mobility Manager coordinates services and providers in order to increase the efficiency of the transportation service delivery system.  (Project Action brochure on Mobility Management, 2007)

In the southeastern Massachusetts region, mobility management actions will coordinate all transportation resources (public transportation, Mass Rides, transportation management areas, rideshare resources, private companies, employer transportation, people, funding and technology).

Whether a mobility manager provides options to the single-occupant auto directly or through collaboration with other organizations, being a mobility manager implies a range of activities that go beyond traditional transit service. Those activities have been divided into four categories.

1. Operational functions – assisting customers with or supplementing fixed route services with nontraditional services such as carpooling, subscription service, shuttles, demand response, volunteer transportation, etc.
2. Technological functions – telecommuting, real-time rideshare matching, “smart card” fare payment, trip reservations and integrated billing.
3. Marketing and informational functions – being a one-stop information resource for all travel options, including public and private operations.
4. Land use functions – advocating, planning and financing projects that support development patterns that foster transit ridership.

Potential Indicators: (come up with 5 or 6)

• Amount of regional VMT (vehicle miles traveled)
• Amount of work trips completed by SOV (single occupancy vehicle)
• Miles of bike paths and sidewalks
• Policies enacted that support sustainability goals
• Zoning changes enacted that support sustainability goals
• Number of alternative energy vehicles
• GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions at all levels

Barriers to achieving sustainable transportation: (Use specific examples to illustrate.)

• Funding amounts for public transportation, bike paths and sidewalks is inadequate.
• The current tax structure encourages “sprawl”.
• There is no entity responsible for coordinating land use development with transportation infrastructure at a local, regional or state level.  There is no enforcement mechanism for Section 61 findings for MEPA.
• We live in a car culture, where cars equal freedom.  Planning and investment strategies at all government levels prioritize automobile travel.
• Public Transportation needs increased revenue and a dedicated revenue source, as well as flexibility in how it uses its funding (operating or capital).
• Lack of awareness and understanding of the consequences of individual, corporate and institutional transportation choices.
• The complexity of the transportation planning process at all levels discourages public involvement.
• Transportation is a part of all aspects of society, yet it is often considered as an afterthought in location decisions (e.g., human service offices, medical facilities, schools).

Identify overlap with other working groups/functional areas.

• Equal access (to clean air, healthy food, jobs, education and nature) for all residents.
• Reduce negative impacts on climate change by reducing use of fossil fuels and increasing use of clean energy and technology.
• Maximize efficient use of existing resources through inventorying what exists and improving coordination.
• Increase connectivity between cities within and outside of region.
• Increase public awareness about impacts of choices and alternatives.
• Increase municipal representation on Council and find consensus on policy priorities.
• Broaden Council involvement to reflect the population of the region.
• Sustainable “seal of approval” program.
• Shared barriers and policy changes needed
• Need for a one-stop resource for all (transportation) information.
• Support for Short Sea Shipping and Commuter Rail link to Boston.
• Create new jobs.
• Buy from local suppliers.
• Use resources of higher education institutions to achieve goals.

Suggest need for future research.  (Ideas?)

• Specific effects of barriers, places that have dealt with barriers and results, proposed effects of removing barriers.
• Transportation funding and pricing innovations
• Incentives to voluntarily reduce driving and/or fuel use
• Supply chains for freight and potential for SSS and/or rail
• Study viability of freight transported by sail power
• Literature search re:  sustainable transportation
• Short-line rail (value to region for food, freight; inventory of existing resources)
• Increasing wireless capability in the region
• Mobility management
• Attracting new transportation businesses.
• Vehicle inventory of all transportation resources
• Inventory of available funding to achieve goals.

Responsible parties:

• The Council demonstrates leadership on the issue of sustainability; forms a compelling, positive vision for the region; is the voice for advocating sustainable policies and practices at local, regional and state levels; is a source of connections and information for all stakeholders; provides advocacy, outreach and education about sustainable actions; and builds a work program of actions to take in order to move towards the vision.
• The Working Groups serve as a technical and public outreach resource to SRPEDD, UMD and the Council.
• UMD is the leader in research and in strategies for public education, awareness and behavior change to foster sustainability.
• SRPEDD provides technical support on regional planning issues and provides municipal outreach and education..
• Cities and towns support Council priorities and review their local policies.
• Regional Transit Authorities enhance transit through public information and through programs to increase bike racks, bus shelters and other passenger amenities.
• Community sustainability committees serve as focal points for local advocacy and action.

Recommendations for Policy Changes

1. Provide input to federal transportation legislation.
2. Change municipal funding to remove incentives for all communities to attract inappropriate development.
3. Support stronger requirements and enforcement within MEPA for new development projects to mitigate transportation impacts.
4. Increase costs of development where it encourages sprawl and where the automobile is the only transportation mode.  Provide incentives to invest in urban centers and close-in suburbs.
5. Parking policies and costs.
6. Require consistency of local plans and land use regulations (zoning, subdivision regulations, parking requirements, etc.)
7. Support a restoration and expansion of bus and rail passenger transit to make it a viable choice, with reasonable minimum frequencies and hours of service.
8. Support and encourage short-sea shipping in port cities.
9. Require master plans and provide financial support.  Require consistency of master plans with land use policies.
10. Add sustainability criteria to State grant funding.
11. School Transportation policy change and School location and funding policy change
12. Invest in wireless technology.
13. Preserve all rail ROW lines and segments, including secondary lines to allow for short local rail trips (or other use of rail ROW) across the region.
14. Connect the region with Boston through the South Coast Rail project.
15. Create an east-west transit connection.
16. Plan land use in conjunction with present and future transit routes.
17. Add DEP Clean Air Act mandates for large employers/trip generators to take steps to reduce vehicle trips and enforce!
18. Allow transit authorities flexible funding based on need for capital or operating assistance and/or increase operating funding.

Southeastern Massachusetts Council on Sustainability
Food & Agriculture Working Group

November 2009

Draft Vision: A robust regional food system that models food-security, local food production, thriving, economically viable farm businesses, and innovative connections between all stakeholders in the foodshed.

Goal: Increase Local Food Production Capacity

Actions:

• Develop or Market existing financing options (grants, loans, micro-finance)
• Educational Programming: develop presentation that can be presented to town councils, etc.  Promote existing educational programs such as SEMAP’s season extension workshop, BCC’s OAT program, etc.
• Increase Infrastructure: greenhouses, raised beds, land, etc.

Indicators of success for this goal:

• CSA memberships
• Farmers market activities
• # of community garden members
• # of Green houses
• # of Raised beds
• Money available to seed new projects

Goal: Innovating Marketing and Removal of Unnecessary Policy Barriers

Actions:

• Research/promote/support innovative marketing approaches such as mobile marketing, online farmers markets, subsidized urban CSA, etc.
• Need for promotion or development of a “Best Practices” Guidelines from state-level for local Board of Healths to provide guidance on farmers markets, etc. (promote more universal approach)

Indicators of success for this goal:

• # Farmers Markets increased
• # Direct sales to consumers
• More farmers participating in markets
• # of people accessing non-traditional marketing methods

Goal: Building Local Food Security Through Small-Scale Backyard/Community Garden Production

Actions:

• Support of existing initiatives
• Develop regional initiative/challenge, ala Local Food Challenge, Grow Your Nutrition, Homegrown Health to educate and inspire new growers
• Development of new urban community gardens

[This third goal seems to be part of the first two goals- indicators are contained within those categories]

Major areas to address to move region toward greater food security/local food production:

1. Education (one track for consumers another for producers)
2. Advocacy
3. Infrastructure/Capital

Immediate Actions for the Council In General:

• Sending out 25 word or so biographies of group members, including contact info, what you do, and key interest areas would be helpful way to leverage existing efforts (for example if you want to begin a film series in your town about food issues and another group member already runs such a series, natural to connect.)  This would be helpful for entire Council.
• More discussion time during Full Council Meetings

Southeastern Massachusetts Council on Sustainability
Economic Development Working Group

DRAFT #4
VISION FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY

A vibrant, ecologically responsible regional economy that is characterized by both high levels of economic growth and employment that effectively integrates local renewable resources and shares opportunity and prosperity. Its features include:

• Diversity: A resilient regional economy that promotes prosperity for all and is varied in industry type and size and diverse in worker talent, experience and occupation.
• Self-Reliance: An economy that nurtures local business and talent while meeting local and regional needs to the greatest extent practicable with outside trade and commerce adding value.
• Prudent use of resources: An economy that maintains and renews natural capital (resources), while protecting historical resources and supporting cultural amenities.
• Investment in human capital: An economy that develops a skilled workforce and promotes the expansion of intellectual assets.

GOALS FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY

1.      The regional economy will achieve a competitive level of prosperity and sustainability as measured by indicators of employment, education, income and productivity, while maintaining or improving the region’s quality of life.

• Short and Long Term Goal: Meet or exceed statewide indicators and report to the community on the sustainable health of the region.
• Immediate Actions:
  • Establish measurable goals.
  • Identify indicators for measuring progress toward those goals.
  • Assemble data to assess the current state of the region’s economy to establish a baseline to measure progress.
  • Identify gaps.
  • Develop an action plan.

2.      The regional economy will maintain and promote a critical mass of support for emerging industry clusters through workforce development programs to attract and retain businesses in sustainable industries and collaborative associations and linkages to educational and financial institutions. Emerging clusters will include, but not be limited to, marine science, medical devices, biotech, precision manufacturing, energy efficiency, renewable energy, value-added agriculture, viticulture, aquaculture and natural resource restoration.

• Short Term Goals:
  • Provide support to businesses in emerging clusters that are already located in the region by identifying and responding to their specific needs.
  • Anticipate emerging clusters and prepare the region to support them.
  • Establish collaborations and linkages between and among educational and financial institutions.
  • Establish appropriate workforce development programs

• Long Term Goal: 
  • Continuous updating and identifying of clusters and cluster needs.
• Immediate Actions:
  • Identify and characterize emerging clusters.
  • Assess the current state and needs of the emerging clusters to establish a baseline for further action
  • Identify gaps.
  • Develop an action plan.

3.      The regional economy will be supported by a lifelong learning system that produces knowledgeable consumers and a workforce that meets the needs of existing businesses and emerging clusters.

• Short Term Goal:
  • Develop a collaborative system of training delivery that is based on labor outlook for a green economy, an understanding of needed skills, an assessment of current training delivery capacity and closing the gap between needed skills and current delivery.
  • Develop career pathways, skill-based job descriptions, and counseling to assist in training and retraining, and lifelong learning.
  • Create a knowledgeable consumer base and workforce conversant in economic trends and the value of local purchasing, and with the skills needed for their chosen occupation.
• Long Term Goal:
  • Establish a regional center to support future economic and environmental objectives
• Immediate Actions:
  • Identify labor force outlook requirements for a green economy.
  • Buy local campaign
  • Assess educational capacity to meet short term goals

4.      The regional economy will be based on the sustainable use of natural resources and will support organizations, businesses and NGOs in the adoption of green business practices.

• Short Term Goal:
  • Research and develop targets to determine sustainable levels for use and consumption of energy, water, materials, habitat, fisheries, forests, agricultural soils and land.
  • Develop an award for businesses that rewards efforts in sustainability.
• Long Term goal:
  • Zero emissions and 100% recycling
• Immediate Actions:
  • Assess the current state of use and consumption of all natural resources to establish a baseline for further action, particularly consumption of local vs imported goods.
  • Regional energy audit

5.      The region will develop a world class infrastructure that includes state of the art communications networks, a widely accessible and diverse transportation system, a road network free of congestion, materials reuse and recycling facilities, reduction and treatment of stormwater, and sustainable public water and sanitary sewer service where appropriate. Growth policies will be in place that direct development to areas with excess infrastructure capacity.

• Short Term Goals:
  • Broadband internet access throughout the region.
  • South Coast Rail
  • Access throughout the region by means of public transit operated seamlessly by the Regional Transit Authorities.
  • All new development in areas served by public transit
• Long Term Goal:
  • Shift the primary reliance on the auto centric transportation system to a regional/local public transit system.
• Immediate Actions:
  • Sustainable development practices handbook and training for the development community.
  • Education and promotion of sustainable zoning ordinances and land use practices.
  • Support SouthCoast Rail initiatives

6.      The regional economy will be characterized by profitable, locally owned businesses that are ecologically and socially responsible and are supported by purchasing practices that favor green, locally owned enterprises.

• Short Term Goal:
  • 5%  reduction in annual regional business closings

• Long Term Goal: 
  • Change the mix of local, regional and state businesses to account for a high percentage (??%) of total employment
  • All regional businesses apply green business practices
• Immediate Actions:
  • Study: Assess the Value of a $ spent at a locally owned business.
  • Identify the support needed for green businesses in the region
  • Green Business certification program.
  • Buy local program; conscious consumerism
  • Eco-design training, especially green building and development
  • Coordinate and promote available regional business advisory services

7.      The region will promote sustainable development with suitable financial tools that enhance business performance and encourage spinoff businesses.

• Short Term Goals:
  • Review and remove institutional, legal and financial impediments that prevent agriculture from being more profitable and sustainable.
  • Identify and remove institutional impediments to sustainable development
  • Provide financial incentives to help businesses become more sustainable.

• Long Term Goal:
  • Development of green industrial parks.
• Immediate Actions:
  • Support Gateway Cities legislation
  • Promote local economic growth initiatives
  • Support expedited permitting processes
  • Support SMART growth initiatives

8. Effective governance: Establish transparent, strategic regional leadership for sustainable economic development, efficient delivery of services, and protection of natural and human resources and capital.

• Framework for decision-making, esp. for development of regional significance.
• Policy integration.
• Best practices transfer
• Fiscal prudence
• Education
• Civic engagement and empowerment

(SMART=Specific; Measurable; Attainable; Realistic; Time sensitive)

• Employment, job growth by target sectors
• Household income
• Educational attainment
• Productivity
• Registered patents (indicator of emerging business)
• Employment in Marine Science and Technology Industry
• Enterprise and Employment Diversification
• Annual value of agricultural sales
• Number of persons employed
• Total Business Establishments, biz starts
• Housing Affordability Gap
• Poverty rate
• Average wage vs. living wage
• Green GDP or Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) (factor out crime, eco-harm, pollution and health impacts)
• Intellectual capital: patents
• % of retail sales purchased from locally owned enterprise
• % of enterprises expecting to hire, grow, or have confidence in the economy
• Economic security index (linked to happiness index, income security, income protection, income equality, UN)
• Bank deposits
• Quality of life (confidence, happiness, open space and cultural amenities…)

IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES

• Buy local campaign
• Gateway Cities Legislation support
• SouthCoast Rail Initiative support
• Broadband access
• Education and promotion of sustainable zoning ordinances and land use practices
• Regional energy audit.
• Assemble data to assess the current state of the region’s economy to establish a baseline to measure progress.
• Assess the current state and needs of the emerging clusters to establish a baseline for further action
• Identify labor force outlook requirements for a green economy.
• Immediate Actions: Assess the current state of use and consumption of all natural resources to establish a baseline for further action.
• Study: The Value of a $ spent at a locally

12/3/09