New National Center for Eco-Industrial Development

The U.S. Department of Commerce has granted

Cornell University and the University of Southern California $175,000 to launch the National Center for Eco-Industrial Development. The funds will be used to develop a national training program, research eco-industrial development, provide technical assistance and prepare Web-based resource manuals. The Center will establish eco-industrial parks in economically distressed communities.

The co-directors are Ed Cohen-Rosenthal, director of Cornell’s Work and Environment Initiative and Leonard Mitchell, director of USC’s Center for Economic Development. Cornell’s WEI has been providing assistance to proposed eco-industrial parks since 1993.

Announcing the grant, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Arthur Campbell said: “Eco-industrial development can be used to turn brownfield sites and other underutilized areas into economic boons for surrounding communities. The National Center for Eco-industrial Development will help both urban and rural areas attract new industry and jobs while protecting the environment.”

Some examples of U.S. eco-industrial parks are:

• Port of Cape Charles Sustainable Technologies Industrial Park, Cape Charles, Virginia.
  The area’s high unemployment and faltering economy spurred local government officials and citizens to create this eco-industrial development. Building One, a 31,000 square foot industrial facility is fully leased to solar-energy, food-processing and environmental consulting and technology firms. Rents are competitive with other new construction and leases include incentives for occupants that exceed the minimum Park Sustainability Criteria. The first building demonstrates the design standards of the Park: solar power, indoor air quality monitoring, energy efficiency/high R value, natural daylighting, and porous pavers to reduce stormwater runoff. [sorry this link is no longer available]
  
• Cabazon Resource Recovery Park, Mecca, California.
  The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians set aside 590 acres of their reservation for this eco-industrial park, “recognizing the need for environmentally sound industry which serves to preserve, recycle or transform waste streams.” They process discarded tires from the Firestone recall and other sources into high-quality crumb rubber to make highways, playgrounds and equestrian arenas safer. They plan to attract enterprises involved in metals reclamation, gasification, used-oil refining, reclaimed glass and paper de-inking. [sorry this link is no longer available]
  
• The Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center of Minneapolis’ Green Institute, Minnesota.
  In one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city, residents have turned a site destined to be a garbage-transfer facility into the home of businesses that help restore the environment. The ReUse Center is the Institute’ s first wholly-owned sustainable enterprise.
  
  To learn about eco-industrial parks and the list of 30 parks under development: [sorry this link is no longer available]