DELMARVA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM Sustainable Development: Maintaining Regional Competitiveness on the Delmarva Peninsula.

DELMARVA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Sustainable Development:  Maintaining Regional Competitiveness on the Delmarva Peninsula.  

Remarks by J. Glenn Eugster, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Sustainable Ecosystems & Communities, Washington, D.C.  September 29, 1997  (202)260-2772

I.  Introduction:  How is the Delmarva Peninsula doing, economically,

ecologically and socially ?  You need to think about where you have been, 

are and want to be and what means you will use to get there.  How will you

compete with other areas in your state, other regions of the U.S. ?

I suggest that you take a close look at sustainable development as a way to maintain 

regional competitiveness.

 So what does Sustainable Development mean?  

-- Is it a trendy term or evolution of a concept?  Is it something we do already--- an set of old 

ideas with new covers? Or is it a destination we are all headed?

II.  Convergence of Thinking: Sustainabile development reflects a convergence of thinking among and between our agencies and organizations.  It is an evolution of our thinking about how environmental, community and economic activity fits together.  More and more we find that we agree that economic development, and environmental protection, needs to:

 Base goals and actions on science

 Emphasize community-level decision-making consensus

 Target place-based development and management strategies and actions 

 Help communities take action to help them selves preserve and prosper

 Achieve environmental, community & economic goals and objectives simultaneously 

Sustainable Development Definitions:  

a)  Sustainable development: “To meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

b)  Multi-objective concept:   “Recognize all legitimate beneficial public and private uses which have the least adverse impact on environmental, community and economic resources and reflect a high degree of public involvement and consensus at all stages of decision-making”.         

III.  Project Specific Perspective: Many ongoing initiatives on, or nearby, the Peninsula offer

insights to how this approach can help communities protect and prosper.

1)  Case Study:   Waste Equals Energy---- Cape Charles, VA Sustainable Technologies Industrial Park.   Northampton County, 16404 Courthouse Road, P.O. Box 66, Eastville, VA.  23347.   Tom Harris, Copunty Administrator (757) 678-0440.  Also The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia Eastern Shore .........is developing compatible sustainable economies.

2)  Case Study: Rethinking the Small Decisions of Development----Practical Watershed Protection/ Site Planning Guidelines--The Watershed Center, Silver Springs, MD.  Tom Schuler 

                             

3)  Case Study: GREEN INDUSTRIES TO COMPLIMENT AGRICULTURE AND SEAFOOD--Dorchester County Heritage Tourism, Cambridge, MD Jeff Powell, County Commissioner

4)  Case Study:  WATER QUALITY RESTORATION IS A SMALL BUSINESS INDUSTRY--SW Pennsylvania:  Allegheny Mountain Heritage Development Corporation, Randy Colley, Hollidaysburg, PA.

IV.  Sources of Information & Assistance:

 Community-Based Environmental Protection Approach 

*     Region III Green Communities Handbook

 EPA Sustainable Development Challenge Grant Program 

 University of VA Sustainable Design:  Bill McDonough, Planet Neighborhood, PBS Special Broadcast

V.  Closing Summary:

 Local incubators are the best way to define/ demonstrate what sustainable development is--a great deal of activity within the region

 Context is terribly important--think one size larger than the project you are working on.

 Combine the lessons of the past and present with those of the future.  Not a new idea, but rather a new arrangement of ideas.

 Integrated approach is important--- 1) Ecological, community and economic values and functions; 2) Decision-making.

 Measures of progress:  How are we doing?  Are we doing the right thing?

I wish you continued success in your work!