Presentation at the Massachusetts Green Careers Conference on September 20, 2019

1. Massachusetts Green Careers
Conference, September 20th
Water Quality and Nature-Based Approaches
Myra Schwartz , Environmental Planner,
Land, Chemicals and Redevelopment Division, (formerly
with) the Assistance & Pollution Prevention Office,
Environmental Protection Agency

2. What I’ll be speaking about
Intros
Overview of EPA Mission & Organization
What’s the problem and how can Nature Based/Green Infrastructure approaches address them
Examples of EPA projects-Rain garden trainings/installations-Opportunities and applications for these
approaches: How these approaches achieve stakeholder involvement with elected officials, residents, and
government staff, environmental and neighborhood groups
Trends I foresee in the job world-”Green Jobs”
Resources and EPA jobs
Questions/Answers
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3. My bio
• Education: Environmental Planner, MA in Regional Planning (MRP), U.
of MA, Amherst, Concentration: Water Resources Planning
• BA Political Science, U. of Denver
• MA in Teaching, Oakland U., Teacher Corps
• Working in field for 38 years: EPA: 28 years-primarily public agencies
(including DEP and HUD) in the areas of watershed protection,
stormwater management, Green Infrastructure & resiliency planning;
sustainable practices; and environmental compliance and assistance.

4.
EPA mission-To
protect human health
and the environment
• EPA works to ensure that:
• Americans have clean air, land and water;
• National efforts to reduce environmental risks are based on
the best available scientific information;
• Federal laws protecting human health and the environment
are administered and enforced fairly, effectively and as
Congress intended;
• Environmental stewardship is integral to U.S. policies
concerning natural resources, human health, economic
growth, energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, and
international trade, and these factors are similarly considered
in establishing environmental policy;
• All parts of society--communities, individuals, businesses, and
state, local and tribal governments--have access to accurate
information sufficient to effectively participate in managing
human health and environmental risks;
• Contaminated lands and toxic sites are cleaned up by
potentially responsible parties and revitalized; and
• Chemicals in the marketplace are reviewed for safety.

5. How Boston
Region I (New
England) is
Organized
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6. HOW EPA IS
ORGANIZED
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7. Stakeholders and agencies we typically work with
• Federal: FEMA, HUD, National Park Service, Federal facilities
• State: NE State regulatory and environmental protection agencies
• Municipal: CEOs, DPWs, Conservation commissions, Community
Development offices
• Regional Planning agencies
• Universities
• Non-Profit groups: watershed/watershed councils, neighborhood
groups, and Groundwork USA
• Professional organizations/Trade groups
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15. Examples of Green Infrastructure Practices
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Green roofs
Rain Gardens
Disconnecting down spouts
Planting Trees
Rain Barrels
Permeable Pavement

16. What is a rain garden?
• Short answer: a depression in the landscape
designed to collect and infiltrate stormwater

17. Biorententio
n
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18. Rain Garden trainings

19. Rain Garden Training, Beardsley Zoo,
Bridgeport, CT
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Collaborations: Zoo, City’s Office of Community Development, Parks
Depts, Office of Small Business, and Mayor’s office-B-Green Initiative
Instructors/Designers: Rutgers University Cooperative Extension, &
University and the University of CT NEMO (Non-Point Education for
Municipal Officials) program

20. Rain garden training/
installation
Classical Magnet School,
Hartford, CT
Collaborations: City of Hartford Parks Dept, MDC, and
Mayor’s office-Green Infrastructure Green Capitols
Initiative; State Dept. of Energy & Environmental
Protection; Park River Watershed Group; and school staff
& students
Instructors/Designers: University of CT NEMO (Non-
Point Education for Municipal Officials) program &
Rutgers University Cooperative Extension

21. Rhode Island Residential Rain Garden Training
•Collaborations: University of Rhode Island Cooperative
Extension, RI Stormwater Solutions project, RI Department of
Transportation (provided funding), & RI Dept of Environmental
Management (DEM)
•Community groups: Groundwork Providence
•Instructors/Designers: Rutgers University Cooperative Extension,
& University of CT NEMO (Non-Point Education for Municipal
Officials) program

22. Synergy
Rain
Garden
Training
Leveraging: Other agency/NGO
resources
-Universities:
-Cooperative Extensions
-NEMO
-Rutgers-USDA -Groundwork USA
--YouthBuild USA
-
EPA Initiatives:
GI
Green Jobs
EJ
CARE
City Initiatives:
Hartford Green Infrastructure
Initiatives: Green Capitols
Worcester Rain Garden Initiative
Bridgeport B-Green Initiative
EPA Funding:
EJ Grant
RARE

23. Website: www.epa.gov/soakuptherain

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27. GITAR
Green Infrastructure Tools & Resources Database
FIND WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION
Planner
Justify
Budget
Economic
Benefits: $
Value
Microsoft
Excel
Maine
Who are
you?
What do
you need?
How do you
need it?
What do
you know?
Where are
you?

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EPA Publications

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31. How to Apply
for EPA Jobs
•Virtually all EPA jobs, including paid
internships, are posted online
through USAJobs.gov . You can use
USAJobs to upload your resume,
browse open EPA positions, and
apply for jobs across the United
States.
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Useful Links/Contacts:
USAJobs: https://www.usajobs.gov/
Federal Jobs Classifications and Qualifications: http://www.opm.gov/
qualifications/
Resume Writing:
USAJobs “Most Effective Resumes”: https://help.usajobs.gov/
index.php/Most_Effective_Resumes
USAJobs resume writing video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=8YX7o1PBoFk
Interviewing:
USAJobs Interview Tips: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/
Interviewing_Tips
Federal Occupations by College Major:
https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/
Federal_Occupations_by_College_Major
EPA: Jason Grazick: Grazick.Jason@epa.gov , 617-918-1050

32. Thank You!
Myra Schwartz| U.S. EPA , Land,
Chemicals & Redevelopment Division,
Schwartz.Myra@epa.gov, 617-918-1696

33. Questions?