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EPA Congratulates Atlanta on Smart Growth Success

Release Date: 11/18/2005
Contact Information:

Contact:  Carl Terry, 404-562-8327, [email protected]

(Atlanta, GA - October 18, 2005)  During a visit to Atlanta today, EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson toured the Atlantic Station and participated in the grand opening preview of the mixed-use community, formerly the site of the historic Atlantic Steel Mill.

“President Bush and EPA are committed to putting both property and people back to work,” said Administrator Johnson.  “The Atlantic Station collaboration is a model for the rest of the nation in providing cleaner air, purer water, better protected land, and a sustainable, competitive economy.  By combining economic progress with environmental gains, Atlantic Station is helping us hand down better health and a brighter future to the next generation of Americans."

The Atlantic Station project combines “smart growth” Brownfield redevelopment strategies with transportation projects as part of an overall community revitalization plan to improve air quality and other environmental performance. The innovative project transformed a former steel mill into a mix of residential, shopping and other commercial uses – one of the largest urban redevelopment initiatives in the country. A key element of the effort is the multi-purpose bridge that serves cars, pedestrians and connects to the adjacent highway (Interstate Highway 75/85) and a nearby mass transit (MARTA) station.

The linkages to mass transportation and the pedestrian and bicycle access will encourage modes of transportation other than automotive travel.  This will reduce annual vehicle miles traveled in Atlanta, conserve fuel and reduce air pollutants produced by those vehicles. It is one of the first projects in the country to explicitly recognize the air pollution benefits of well-designed smart growth and development.

Atlantic Station covers an area of 144.8 acres at the nexus of Interstate Highways 75 and 85 in Midtown Atlanta and is a national model for Smart Growth and Brownfield redevelopment. Through EPA’s Project XL (eXcellence and Leadership), the Atlantic Station redevelopment will reduce air emissions as the first Transportation Control Measure of its kind.