All News Releases By Date

PA OPENING OF PARTNERSHIP OFFICE IN SOUTH BALTIMORE

Release Date: 2/28/97
Contact Information:

PA OPENING OF PARTNERSHIP OFFICE IN SOUTH BALTIMORE

FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1997

COMMUNITY-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT CELEBRATES OPENING OF PARTNERSHIP OFFICE IN SOUTH BALTIMORE

On March 1, officials and representatives from EPA, the state of Maryland, Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, local businesses and residential volunteers will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house to celebrate the opening of an office that will serve as a base for participants in a unique community-based environmental partnership. Operating in a highly industrialized, economically distressed section of southern Baltimore that includes six diverse neighborhoods, the partnership was created with a $15,000 capacitybuilding grant awarded by EPA last spring. The grant will help pay for the new office space, which will give partnership volunteers a place to meet and conduct educational workshops, prepare and distribute project materials and provide access to the general public. Community volunteers will staff the office and furniture and supplies are being donated by local businesses and governments. In addition to financial support, the project provides the time and expertise of EPA, state, county and city employees who have been assigned to work with the community. The governments are working together to help the community identify and find solutions for addressing local environmental and economic problems in their neighborhoods. Since the partnership was formed last May, over 300 members of the community have participated. More than 70 businesses, residents and government representatives are currently working on eight committees to collect and analyze information on the condition of their local environment and economy. In April these committees will present reports summarizing their findings, including their recommendations for making improvements. The reports will serve as the basis for building consensus around a plan of action for the community that will draw on the resources of the entire partnership. Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke will lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 1. Dr. William Sanders, Director of EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics and Jane Nishida, Secretary of Maryland's Department of the Environment also will attend the event. The Partnership's office is located at 3606 South Hanover Street in Baltimore (telephone: 410-354- 0352).

R-35                                     #  #  #