Lisa Jackson, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar are in Baltimore today to announce a new federal initiative to assist local government and community efforts to clean up urban waterways.   In today’s Sun,  B’more Green blog  author Tim Wheeler states that media were given no advance details of the initiative known as “Urban Waters Movement” .  Wheeler writes,

Under that program, EPA has offered “partnerships” with local governments and community groups, but it seems a little short on money to finance improvements or even the promise of greater regulatory attention to spur cleanup.

In an article in today’s Washington Post, it states that the new federal initiative involving several federal agencies will include a pilot program in seven cities.  Baltimore will be one of the pilot cities.  The program is designed to assist with the development of green infrastructure to filter run off as an alternative to traditional storm drains.

“We know it can be done, and we actually are starting to see studies of places that are doing it and saving money,” Jackson said.