Government Programs

To understand how the government supports green infrastructure, we reviewed climate-related plans and available funding on the local, state, and federal levels. Plans we reviewed included the City of Chicago’s 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP)12, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP)’s ON TO 2050 Plan13, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago 2021-2025 Plan14, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Region 5 Climate Plan15, and the EPA’s Plan for FY 2022-2026.16 Funding sources run the gamut from the United States Department of Transportation to Chicago’s Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD). Find information on specific climate-related plans here and a comprehensive list of funding sources with links here

From the goals, strategies, and actions featured in relevant plans, we identified five themes:

1. Promotion of Sustainable and Healthy Buildings was listed as a top strategy for reducing emissions. Actions include the retrofitting of existing buildings, energy efficiency and decarbonization, electrification, and/or the improvement of building construction standards. Air quality of homes, pollution, and exposure to radon was also a concern.

2. Water Management including stormwater management, drinking water management, and protection of waterways.

3. Solid Waste Management, which is identified as important for the promotion of circular economy as well as the safeguarding and revitalization of communities. This includes residential, industrial, commercial, institutional, organic, and other types of waste, as well as recycling programs.

4. Solar Panels and Renewable Energy, with goals centered around the installation of solar panels on both city and privately-owned roofs.

5. Enhancement of Infrastructure for Alternative Modes of Transportation, with a focus on enhancing infrastructure for modes of transportation including walking, biking, and public transportation. It also aims to electrify transit and fleets.

6. Greening Efforts and Natural Areas Management, including promotion of native species, expansion of parks and green spaces, and site-scale green infrastructure in hardscapes such as transportation right-of-way and non-parkland green spaces.

“Table 2” shows which green infrastructure-related goals are supported by which plans. The goals shared by most of the plans were (i) promoting sustainable and healthy buildings and (ii) water management. The Chicago 2022 CAP and the EPA Strategic Plan featured goals around (iii.) solid waste management; these were two of the more specifically climate-focused plans. Other goals, (iv.) solar panels and renewable energy, (v) enhancement of infrastructure for alternative modes of transportation, and (vi) greening efforts and natural areas management, were more specifically represented in local plans.

Exploring a Plan: Greening Efforts and Natural Areas Management featured in Chicago’s Climate Action Plan (CAP)

The Chicago CAP lists following goals related to greening efforts and natural areas management:

• Promote and/or require native species, habitat restoration, and sustainable landscaping materials • Increase community greening efforts, expand neighborhood parks, and promote co-benefits of parks such as stormwater management • Protect and steward high-priority natural areas through effective planning, identification of high-quality landscapes (“ecological cores”), and creation of ecological buffers around and connections between cores • Reduce the rate of impervious surface creation through urban infill and densification • Incorporate site-scale green infrastructure into hardscapes such as transportation right-of-way and non-parkland green spaces like subdivisions and golf courses

See appendix for more details.

Goal

Promote Sustainable and Healthy Buildings

Water Management

Solid Waste Management

Solar Panels and Renewable Energy

Enhancement of Infrastructructre for Alternative Modes of Transportation Table 2: Support of Green Infrastructure Goals in Government Plans

City of Chicago 2022 (CAP) CMAPs On To 2050 Plan

Local

Retrofit, electrify, and enhance building standards Research and update design standards Reduce radon and air quality risks

Implement green alley program Protect and enhance of aquatic systems; reduce stormwater

Facilitate equitable stormwater management Prepare water infrastructure for increase in temperature

MWRD 20212025 Plan

Divert waste from landfills and incineration

Install clean renewable energy projects Support walking, biking, public transportation; electrification of public transport fleet

EPA Region 5 Climate Plan

EPA FY 20222026 Strategic Plan Regional National

Enhance indoor air quality and energy efficiency Ensure safe drinking water; protect waterbodies and watershed

Invest in waste infrastructure, clean up contaminated sites, update waste regulations