WPCOG Environmental Planning staff work with federal, state and local governments, educational institutions and non-profits, to implement policies and initiatives relating to stormwater management, water quality/quantity, air quality and landuse related issues. Staff serve as collaborative partners and credible sources of information to various agencies on a variety of water and environmental issues, environmental compliance, policy support, education and outreach, watershed protection, and restoration work for the region.

 

Environmental Planning takes place in several areas at the WPCOG. Traditionally the WPCOG has had environmental programming focused on Water Quality, Air Quality, Transportation and Land-Use Planning. These areas often overlap sometimes significantly, as do the staff who oversee these program areas.

 

Recently concepts such as "Sustainability", "Green" and "Energy" have become popular. While these concepts have not materialized into stand alone departments within Environmental Planning Section of our agency they influence and are integrated into the more traditional environmental planning activities in which the WPCOG engages (see also, Green Jobs through Western Piedmont Workforce Development).