BGreen 2020 A Sustainability Plan For Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020
A Sustainability Plan
for Bridgeport, Connecticut
Letter from
the Mayor
OF
BRIDGEP
OR
Dear Bridgeport residents
TY
T,
CI
BGreen 2020 is a plan to create good jobs, save taxpayers and their govern-
C
AL O F TH E
ON
ment money, reduce our wasteful carbon emissions and help free our country
N E C T I CU
from our addiction to foreign oil – it is a plan for a sustainable Bridgeport. As
a coastal community, with its beautiful shoreline one of its greatest assets,
Bridgeport has much to lose through inaction and much to gain from this ambi-
SE
T
tious plan.
Over 1,000 mayors across the US have signed on to plans to reduce their
City’s carbon footprint. We know that we must “think globally, but act locally.”
Sustainable communities are emerging all across the country, led by local
leaders from larger cities like Seattle and Boston to smaller communities like
Chattanooga, TN and Keene, NH. BGreen 2020 is our roadmap to transform
Bridgeport’s image from a city in decline to a smart and enlightened commu-
nity, leading the way in the new green economy.
My special thanks to the Bridgeport Regional Business Council for serving
as our partner in this effort. I would also like to thank the Fairfield County Com-
munity Foundation, The Tremaine Foundation, and the PSE&G Foundation for
their financial support and encouragement; United Illuminating, Region One of
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Conference of Mayors for
their assistance; and, to the more than 100 organizations and individuals who
have served on our Community Advisory Committee and the five technical com-
mittees we created, my deepest appreciation for your service to Bridgeport.
Global climate change caused by increased carbon emissions threatens
our very way of life; our economy, our health, and our nation’s security, but in its
solution creates opportunities the likes of which we have just begun to imagine.
Through BGreen 2020 we will create jobs, save money and protect our health
but perhaps more importantly BGreen 2020 asks Bridgeport – “What kind of
City do you want to pass on to our children?”
Sincerely,
Bill Finch
Mayor
Let’s make Bridgeport the cleanest, greenest City with schools and
neighborhoods that get better every year!
2 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

Executive reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions from buildings,
lower household and commercial utility bills, and shrink prop-
erty tax bills by making city operations more energy efficient.
• •A focus on transit and complete streets will lower greenhouse
Summary
gas emissions from transportation and lower households’
transportation costs by limiting the need for automobiles.
• A Green Collar Institute will consolidate resources to help
businesses improve their bottom line through efficiency,
The last few decades have been some of the most challenging in help individuals develop the skills they need to find jobs in
Bridgeport’s history, recently compounded by the current recession. the new economy, assist the city in attracting and growing
The turbulence we’re experiencing in our national economy, the ca- green businesses locally through a Green Business Incuba-
lamities beginning to show noticeable impacts in our global climate tor and a Green Business Cluster, and drive the creation
and environment, and the socio-demographic divides that plague our of a green marketplace through purchasing policies.
region are compounding one another to create the most significant • Zoning and Geographic Information Systems that encour-
crossroads this city and others around the globe have faced in age green redevelopment will reclaim the city’s vacant
generations. and contaminated land for taxpaying buildings that will
Global warming threatens our planet. While the current concen- provide local jobs and affordable housing opportunities,
tration of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere is approximately and will shrink property tax bills by reducing the burden
385 parts per million (ppm) and steadily rising, the scientific com- on existing households to support municipal services.
munity has concluded that we must reduce levels to 350 ppm in
order to stabilize our climate. If we fail to make this reduction, we can • Increased recycling and composting will significantly reduce
anticipate almost two feet of sea level rise by midcentury threatening the cost of disposal, create local jobs, save money in the
our coastal assets, more frequent and intense storms bringing floods city budget, thereby reducing taxes, and move us away from
and high winds, and heat waves that will particularly threaten the an industrial process that emphasizes disposable goods.
health of our urban and poor populations. • A Conservation Commission will implement a parks plan that will
Nationally, our economic health has depended on levels of bring open space, greenery, and the waterfront within reach of
consumption that rely on low energy costs and ignore the associated every city resident, and add neighborhood amenities like pocket
costs of pollution. A recovery strategy must emerge that sustainably parks, community gardens and other quality of life measures.
employs our population and acknowledges the rising and unpredict- And it will also champion the stormwater management issues
able costs of energy and the impacts that our current system has on that take into account the fragile nature of our community.
our environment and climate. It is currently unclear whether we will
attempt to prop up the failing industrial model of the last half century • A youth Conservation Corps, going door-to-door, will pro-
or create a new green industrial model that can employ the workers vide information to residents and businesses to help
of our country while improving the global and local environments. them save money, be stewards of the environment, and
Providing jobs with environmental and social benefits is essential for help improve the quality of life in our community.
the residents of Bridgeport.
Locally, our state is simultaneously one of the nation’s wealthi- There’s a clear, common theme throughout: going green saves or
est and most segregated. Bridgeport’s school system struggles to even makes green $! Environmental action will provide the economic
educate its students while our neighboring towns have some of the foundation to grow the city’s jobs, tax base, and opportunity while
best educational attainment in the world. Our city’s neighborhoods lowering household bills for energy, water, and property taxes.
are disproportionately saddled with the burdens of air pollution as- The plan is organized into two sections. The first part lays out the
sociated with the region’s transportation and electricity systems, and Need for Change, and describes the planning process and summary
with land pollution stemming from the industrial legacy that laid the of goals and opportunities that bring us From Vision to Plan, and
foundation for our entire region’s prosperity. charts the course for institutionalizing action From Plan to Imple-
It is in these times of great uncertainty that decisions are made mentation. The second part describes the 64 strategies in detail for
which shape the lives of generations. Change will not occur through the city and the community to act on over the course of the coming
the decisions of nations alone. Nor will it be based on actions solely decade.
of the public sector. It is true that all levels of government must be Action cannot take place within the corridors of City Hall and its
involved based on a foundation of local action; equally true, partner- government alone. The city is responsible for only 4% of local green-
ships must be forged between the public and private sectors to make house gas emissions. Government must act in a leadership role, but
the greatest strides and reap the greatest rewards. the actions of local businesses, neighborhoods, residents, and work-
BGreen 2020 was established to bring together community mem- ers will be the determining factors in making Bridgeport’s campaign
bers, city departments, and the business community of Bridgeport to to create economic, environmental, and social prosperity a success.
identify those strategies available to us locally, which could begin to A solid corps of our city’s young adults has already begun going
impact these forces that often seem beyond our control. In coming door-to-door spreading word of the benefits available to us through
together, we jointly learned and reaffirmed one fundamental notion: individual action and sharing the skills necessary to achieve results.
that the actions necessary to stabilize the national economy and This Conservation Corps will continue to be one of the most effective
protect the global environment simultaneously bring so many local strategies for spreading the word of sustainability and the hope that it
benefits and environmental justice to Bridgeport. contains for our future. It must, and can, be joined by others.
Though creating a new, green path for Bridgeport’s future will be
• An Energy Improvement District in Bridgeport will implement
challenged by inertia and the status quo, of greater strength is the
renewable electricity generation projects and develop programs
desire of the Bridgeport community to emerge from this recession
to retrofit municipal buildings, businesses and homes, that
more prosperous and equitable than ever before. BGreen 2020 is
intended to show the way.
BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 3

Bridgeport Regional Business Council (BRBC) is comprised of Table of Contents
five affiliates: the Bridgeport, Stratford and Trumbull Chambers
of Commerce, Leadership Greater Bridgeport and the Women’s
Leadership Council and has approximately 1,000 investor mem-
bers. BRBC’s primary mission is to pursue economic development The Need for Change 5
and to increase the economic opportunities for the people of the City of Industry 5
Bridgeport Region by acting to create an environment for business Overcoming Bridgeport’s Challenges 5
expansion, retention, and recruitment that will result in jobs and
tax base growth. What Bridgeport will gain from BGreen 2020 11
Institutionalizing Bridgeport’s efforts into
a comprehensive strategy 14
Program Managers Moving Forward 15
Global Infrastructure Strategies provides strategic issues
management, government affairs, communications and commu- From Vision to Plan 16
nity relations services to help both the public and private sectors A Comprehensive Process 16
develop, site, and build complex infrastructure projects in a cost
effective and sustainable manner. Created in early 2005, Global Summary of BGreen 2020 goals and priorities 18
Infrastructure Strategies brings together a wealth of knowledge
and experience in the power generation, water, transportation, From Plan to Action 20
retail, housing, and environmental clean-up markets.
Organizing, engaging and empowering 20
Meridian Institute helps decision makers and diverse stake- Funding BGreen 20
holders solve some of society’s most contentious public policy
issues. For over twenty years, as neutral third parties, Meridian has
designed problem-solving processes, applying proven strategies
The Strategy 22
and techniques to highly controversial public policy issues and Green Energy & Buildings 23
has aided parties in settling site- and issue-specific disputes. Greenfields & Green Wheels 26
Their practical approach often results in unlikely parties forging
Green Spaces 32
new partnerships and unique alliances. Recent successes include
convening the Greenhouse Gas Accounting Forum, facilitating the Water Resources 34
High-Level Transatlantic Workshop on Climate Change, assisting Municipal Solid Waste, Materials Use & Recycling 36
with the Kyoto Plus Working Group, and, most notably, assisting in
the establishment of the US Climate Action Partnership. Green Businesses, Jobs and Purchasing 38
Green Marketing, Education and Outreach 40
MP& Associates is an innovative Business Management and
Professional Events firm. Its team of business consultants’ primary
focus is strategic planning, marketing, public relations and profes- References 42
sional event management. MP & Associates’ mission is to identify
opportunities and strategically implement an effective plan de- Acknowledgements 43
signed to innovate and inspire while communicating a consistent
message. Clients include corporations, small businesses, social
services, government and non-profit organizations.
Regional Plan Association (RPA) is an independent, not-for-

profit regional planning organization that improves the quality
Appendices
of life and the economic competitiveness of the 31-county New (available online at www.rpa.org/bgreen)
York-New Jersey-Connecticut region through research, planning, Executive Order
and advocacy. For more than 80 years, RPA has been shaping
transportation systems, protecting open spaces, and promoting BGreen 2020 Community Advisory
better community design for the region’s continued growth. We Committee membership
anticipate the challenges the region will face in the years to come, BGreen 2020 Technical Subcommittees membership
and we mobilize the region’s civic, business, and government sec- Complete List of Outcomes--Goals and Objectives-
tors to take action. -of the five technical subcommittees
Matrices of BGreen 2020 Strategies
and Implementation Steps
TBL- Triple Bottom Line Analysis
of BGreen 2020 Strategies
Summary of Bridgeport’s Early
Climate Protection Efforts

The
Need for
Change
Greater even than the economic, environmental and social challenges
The abandoned Remington Arms factory
Fred Guenther, www.nyctransitforums.com
that Bridgeport faces today, is our opportunity to transform our city figures during its heyday, the city’s best known resident has been the
into a thriving, sustainable community. By spurring economic com- world-renowned circus promoter and one-time Bridgeport mayor, P.T.
petitiveness, protecting natural resources and public health, enhanc- Barnum.
ing social equity and improving quality of life, Bridgeport’s BGreen The deindustrialization of the United States in the years following
2020 Sustainability Plan lays out a clear and compelling path for the World War II hit Bridgeport hard. Factories shut down, finance and cor-
future of the city’s residents and businesses. And although immediate porate management moved to Stamford, Hartford and other nearby
challenges may sometimes appear to hamper our ability to plan for cities, and employment declined steadily. Many of the residents who
the future, we cannot afford to wait – the benefits are too great. could afford to leave moved to new suburban communities. Within
Bridgeport, abandoned industrial land left contamination and workers
behind. Buildings were torn down or collapsed from neglect leaving
City of Industry vacant lots scattered throughout downtown. When buildings were not
abandoned, they were also not invested in—although these buildings
remaining today constitute Bridgeport’s distinctive historic fabric, they
are also contaminated with hazardous paints and insulation as well
as antiquated energy and weatherization systems. Decades of poor
waste management practices at metal scrap yard sites and other
uses that have utilized cheap land in the ensuing decades have left
our waterfront contaminated with a dirty mixture of chemicals.
This is the canvas on which Bridgeport’s future will be painted—
centuries of economic and cultural wealth, followed by 50 years of
abandonment and neglect.
Overcoming Bridgeport’s
Challenges
Burroughs Public Library in 1903
Bridgeport Public Library As Bridgeport charts a new path to prosperity, we must confront the
sources of our economic, social and environmental challenges—
our legacy of unsustainable land use, transportation, waste, and
Bridgeport’s rich history spans 175 years. Always a seafaring com- stormwater practices. We must also tackle the negative perceptions
munity, Bridgeport developed notable whaling and shipbuilding of Bridgeport that have been spawned by our economic decline.
industries in the mid-19th century. In the decades that followed, the And finally, we must address the global problem of climate change:
city became a manufacturing hub producing brass fittings, carriages, we must both curb our contribution to the problem by reducing our
sewing machines, and other innovative commodities. When more than carbon emissions and plan for the impacts of change in climate that
1,375 acres of parkland were designated in the late 19th century, are at this point inevitable.
including two parks designed by the prominent landscape architect The cost of inaction is enormous. Globally, scientists are predict-
Frederick Law Olmsted, Bridgeport became known as the “Park City,” ing major environmental tipping points will be reached if we do not
providing precious recreational space for residents and visitors. Over reverse the course of our greenhouse gas emissions. Of particular
the next half century, the city evolved into a modern metropolis along concern for Bridgeport is that populations like ours are significantly
the Connecticut coast and attracted workers and investment from far more vulnerable to the impacts of global warming. Bridgeport’s
and wide. residents, with a median household income less than half the income
By World War II, Bridgeport was known as “the Arsenal of De- of households in the surrounding county, will be less able to meet the
mocracy,” as its factories were used to produce armament for the costs associated with adaptation. We must do everything in our power
war effort. Bridgeport’s factories, which offered reliable and well-paid to avoid calamities associated with climate change so that we lessen
employment, attracted a strong middle working class and genera- our need to adapt to their impact down the road. The BGreen 2020
tions of new immigrants. The city solidified in its role as the region’s Plan proposes a strategy to achieve economic, social and environ-
cultural center with a thriving theater and arts scene. While Bridgeport mental prosperity through this effort. The time to take action is now.
was visited by President Abraham Lincoln and other illustrious public

Economic conditions and challenges value of all taxable property (real estate, motor vehicles and personal
property) – rose 27% from 1994 to 2002, just half the growth of the
Bridgeport’s most pressing economic challenge it to capture enough statewide municipal average (based on equalized grand list figures).
of the region’s commercial growth to provide local jobs and offset Bridgeport’s deteriorated tax base materializes into its deterio-
high property taxes. While the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk region’s rated physical condition, which in turn, keeps away potential investors
job market grew by 2% (nearly 10,000 new jobs) between 1990 and in the city. Our crumbling sidewalks, blighted properties and vacant
2005, Bridgeport’s declined by 27% or 17,000 jobs, (Bridgeport lots contribute to a negative sense of place which, coupled with high
2020). And while the region is expected to gain even more jobs in the municipal tax burdens, deter businesses and middle-class residents
decade to come, employment in Bridgeport is predicted to continue from choosing to invest in Bridgeport. Brownfields and vacant sites
its decline. cost the city between $30 and $50 million in lost property tax reve-
This decline is not for a lack of an eager workforce. Of Bridge- nue each year limiting the amount of investment the city can make in
port’s 140,000 residents, more than half are of working age. All told, itself and its residents. And thus the cycle of disinvestment continues.
Bridgeport’s potential workforce is 76,000 persons, yet the number Coming on the heels of a half-century of decline is the more
of jobs in the city is just under 45,000. This staggering disparity has recent global economic collapse, which has further exacerbated the
caused many Bridgeport residents to seek work outside of the city, fragile economic condition of many residents, businesses and the
or, given the current national economic condition, has prevented municipality itself. Paying for basic needs like electricity and fuel for
them from finding any employment at all. The fact that one-third of lighting, heating, air conditioning and transportation has become
city residents were born outside the U.S. makes job access an even more difficult, and has forced other budget cutbacks, downsizing and
greater challenge. In December 2009, the Connecticut Department of retrenchment across the board. Bridgeport, like municipalities and
Labor reported a 12.7% unemployment rate in Bridgeport, compared states across the nation, has had to severely cut back on services,
to 8.5% statewide. Almost a quarter of Bridgeport residents live below personnel and benefits (both current and future) in order to stay
the poverty line; in some neighborhoods, that rate is four in five. afloat. Regaining a strong fiscal foothold will require that Bridgeport
As poverty and unemployment rates go up and businesses shut find ways to redevelop its underutilized land, attract or create busi-
down, Bridgeport’s remaining residents and businesses are pressed ness and jobs, welcome more residents and build a tax base that
to contribute a larger share of the cost of city services. The city’s tax can support expanded services. We must also free ourselves from
base was never large to begin with: at only 16.5 square miles, with the volatile fuel prices associated with foreign oil. This will mean fully
one third of land parcels tax-exempt because they are owned by embracing a “green” strategy for sustainable development and opera-
non-profit organizations or government agencies, and vacant land tions.
making up 11% of land in the city (Bridgeport 2020), there is little
land to tax. Bridgeport’s Grand List – that is, the sum of the assessed
Bridgeport
Area vs. other municipalities (sq. mi.) Bridgeport jobs vs. other municipalities
Danbury 43.9 100,000
Stamford 38.4
Fairfield Average CT
30.4 Town 29.4 80,000
Bridgeport
16.5
60,000
Vacant and tax-exempt land Workforce vs. jobs

40,000
QUARE MI 0 WORKFO
.5S L ,00
6 11% 6
ES
RC
7
1
vacant or Bridgeport
E
unimproved 45,000 Stamford

JOBS 20,000
New Haven
Norwalk
33%
tax-exempt Danbury
‘93 ‘94 ‘95 ‘96 ‘97 ‘98 ‘99 ‘00 ‘01 ‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05
Bridgeport Office of Planning & Bridgeport 2020: Plan of Conservation
Economic Development, RPA and Development Connecticut Department of Labor

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Environmental conditions and challenges Ultimately, however, Bridgeport’s greatest environmental challenge
is climate change. Global warming will affect us, as it will affect every
Bridgeport’s industrial heritage and solid waste management community worldwide, by changing our local climate, affecting water
practices that predated government regulation have left the city a and food supply, increasing flooding, reducing biodiversity, and threat-
legacy of pollution. Soils and waterways are contaminated with heavy ening human health. Unfortunately, even with immediate changes
metals, oil storage bins and munitions. The Connecticut Department to our rate of emissions, Connecticut as a whole—and Bridgeport as
of Environmental Protection has identified hundreds of sites as loca- a port city—will not escape impact. The problem is, of course, much
tions of known or potential land contamination covering nearly 15% greater than Bridgeport’s alone, but it is our responsibility to do our
of the city’s land area (Connecticut DEP, 2009). Cleaning this land share in reducing carbon emissions and to prepare for a changed
isn’t only necessary for economic development but also to achieve climate.
healthy neighborhoods. Climate change is already affecting Bridgeport – warming ocean
temperatures and melting polar ice means that sea level at Bridge-
port is currently rising by 0.1 inch/year, faster than the world average.
Climate change models predict the following rises above current sea
level:
• 5.1 to 8.3 inches by 2020
• 8.1 to 16.7 inches by 2050
• 11.2 to 35.3 inches by 2080 (Gornitz, 2004)
Higher sea levels mean stronger storm surges and greater coastal
flooding which will threaten Bridgeport’s rail and roadway systems,
water treatment facilities, and all the structures that stand roughly
Sewage can enter our waterways south of the railroad.
during heavy rainfall
Massachusetts DEP Temperatures are also rising. Already Connecticut’s tempera-
tures have increased faster than the New England average, and are
predicted to rise 2.5°F by 2030 and anywhere from 4°F to 9°F by
Water quality in Bridgeport’s coastal area is relatively poor by 2100. With a 4°F increase, Hartford’s climate will be more like Phila-
CT Department of Environmental Protection standards. The city’s delphia’s; with a 9°F increase, it will be more akin to Raleigh, North
combined storm water and sanitary sewer system overflows in major Carolina’s (Gornitz, 2004). Higher summer temperatures will induce
storms, contaminating our rivers and the tidal waters of Long Island a greater number of heat-related illnesses and deaths, increase the
Sound with raw sewage, oils, road salts and fertilizers. These overflows incidence of insect-born diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme
harm fish and other aquatic wildlife by reducing oxygen levels, and disease, and worsen Connecticut’s already high rate of asthma. In-
our wetlands are eroded by stormwater being directly discharged into creased water temperatures and loss of wetlands from rising sea level
the city’s water courses. They also, at times, make the water unsafe will have other environmental and economic costs here in Long Island
for swimmers. Sound, by decimating fish and shellfish populations and their related
Our air is polluted too, by activities taking place within the city harvest industries.
limits and throughout the Northeast and Midwest (NESCAUM, 2006). Global climate change is the product of individual actions taken
Both Fairfield County and much of Connecticut received failing grades in communities around the world; stopping climate change will
for ozone pollution and particle pollution by the American Lung As- require similar community-level action. The BGreen 2020 Initiative
sociation (American Lung Association, 2009) stemming from our re- and the development of this plan represent Bridgeport’s effort to
gion’s power generation and truck traffic. Every day, almost 130,000 aggressively combat climate change in a unified, citywide effort. And
cars and trucks barrel through Bridgeport on I-95 and 80,000 since governmental operations in the City of Bridgeport represent only
use the Route 8/25 Connector (ConnDOT). Bridgeport’s remaining 4% of total city greenhouse gas emissions, the most critical role that
industrial facilities and several power plants legally discharge more Bridgeport, or any municipality, can play is to facilitate change across
pollution into our air. Finally, the city’s older buildings – those built all public and private sectors of the city. In order for Bridgeport to
before 1960 – create additional environmental concern because they achieve any meaningful decrease in community-wide emissions, the
contain lead-based paint and asbestos, and outdated boilers which city must commit significant financial and human resources toward
degrade air quality. reducing energy use, improving brownfields for reuse, cleaning its
waterways, and providing transportation alternatives in walkable
neighborhoods.
Congestion on I-95
Robert Moore, ConnDOT

Floodplains
and Coastal
Impact Areas
in the City
RPA Analysis of FEMA Data
100 year flood and coastal impact zones

Social conditions and challenges with a poor public image. Even residents sometimes find it difficult to
hope for better personal opportunity, or feel empowered for wholesale
Median Household income in Bridgeport vs. other municipalities change.
US Census Commercial growth is urgently needed to reverse this trend. While
Bridgeport has experienced some business growth in recent years,
$80k a great deal more is necessary to increase employment, bolster the
city’s tax base, establish active communities and change the city’s
$70k image. Jobs are necessary to enable personal self-sufficiency and im-
prove standards of living. They also help to expand the city’s tax base
$60k
and improve basic municipal services to residents who have done
$50k without for a very long time, and who as a result often feel forgotten,
disengaged or left out. A healthy social fabric in Bridgeport depends
$40k on a stronger economic climate and the improved and expanded city
services that economic wealth can bring.
Fairfield County
$30k
A solid foundation for change
New Haven
Bridgeport
$20k
Stamford
Norwalk
Danbury
Hartford
$10k
Decades of economic hardship have left Bridgeport residents with

more limited opportunities than their suburban neighbors. The aver-
age Bridgeport household earned $35,000 in 1999 (Census 2000),
well below nearby cities like Danbury, Stamford and Norwalk. As
of February 2009, one in four Bridgeport residents lives below the
poverty level (about $20,000 a year for a family of four), a rate nearly
2.5 times that of Fairfield County, and more than double that of Con-
necticut as a whole.
Limited personal means create greater need for municipal
services to fill certain gaps, but the fragile economic structure of
the city’s tax base often does not provide the city government with
the means to provide those services and amenities. The lack of high Playhouse on the Green
RPA
quality and accessible education, for instance, is demonstrated by
the fact that the educational attainment of Bridgeport’s residents
has remained essentially unchanged since 1990 (Bridgeport 2020) Despite significant challenges, Bridgeport also possesses significant
Access to health care is hampered by high unemployment rates or opportunities. With little additional investment, the city’s existing
employment in jobs that don’t provide health insurance. This problem infrastructure could easily support 25,000 more residents and
is particularly vexing given Bridgeport’s high rates of obesity, diabe- significantly more industry, as it has in the past. Through rezoning,
tes and asthma. Access to low-cost, fresh produce is also an issue, infill development and redevelopment, Bridgeport can grow quickly
although in some select neighborhoods the recent introduction of and sustainably within the existing grid. Our rich architectural, histori-
farmers’ markets and community gardens have helped to alleviate the cal and cultural legacy remains untapped, awaiting a renaissance.
problem. Wonderful entertainment, cultural and educational attractions dot
Recreational opportunities along our waterfront – swimming, the city, including the Arena and Ballpark at Harbor Yard, the Barnum
fishing, and shellfishing – are constrained by extensive water pollution Museum, Playhouse on the Green, Klein Memorial Auditorium, Down-
problems. Our green space is extensive, but it is not evenly distrib- town Cabaret Theatre, Housatonic Community College, University of
uted geographically, leaving many communities without a local park in Bridgeport, Beardsley Zoo and Seaside Park. These are irreplaceable
which to relax or play sports. Many Bridgeport residents live in older, assets that can be further developed and strengthened to comple-
under-maintained housing units – sometimes near active industrial ment future residential and commercial growth in Bridgeport, and
sites or vacant brownfields. Access to quality public transit is par- help create a complete and vibrant community. Bridgeport’s major
ticularly important as many people do not own a car and depend on transportation hub, located right downtown within walking distance
transit to get to work and other destinations. to residences and offices, gives city residents and workers bus, train,
Buildings are left abandoned and sites large and small are and ferry access to other destinations in the region and beyond. The
left vacant. These gaps in the built environment hinder the sense confluence of Interstate 95 and State Routes 8 and 25 in the down-
of strong, vibrant and complete neighborhoods. When buildings town provide good automobile and freight access as well. Finally, the
are abandoned, it all too often means losing a local grocery store, waterfront, the cradle of Bridgeport’s history, constitutes another great
pharmacy or other neighborhood resource. In some cases, blighted opportunity for growth, commerce, recreation and natural resource
properties foster crime, including drug use. Despite numerous and protection.
strong community-based organizations, and despite residents’ strong
ties to their neighborhoods, Bridgeport’s social structure is weakened
by lack of private investment in our communities.
Despite the city’s many assets, including its natural resources, its
hidden architectural, historical and cultural gems, and its diverse mul-
ticultural community, decades of disinvestment have left Bridgeport

Job creation
What Bridgeport will Investing in green infrastructure will create jobs in a range of indus-
tries, including construction, energy, transportation, land use and
gain from BGreen 2020 landscaping, waste management, and water management.
• Retrofitting buildings to make them more energy ef-
Bridgeport can build on its assets to overcome these challenges, but
ficient will require the services of a range of employ-
the city’s path to success will require that we approach economic,
ees from entry-level to managers including energy ef-
social and environmental issues in a comprehensive and sustainable
ficiency installers, energy auditors and consultants.
manner. The BGreen 2020 Plan provides precisely this framework
for sustainability – the framework through which Bridgeport can • Generating renewable energy will create demand for laborers
redevelop its properties, grow its commercial tax base and employ- to finance and manage renewable energy projects, produce
ment opportunities, encourage a green economy, protect our natural and sell equipment, and design and install renewable systems.
resources, and gain long-term security for neighborhood communities Distributed generation for larger commercial and industrial
and the city as a whole. It is a path that makes economic sense, and buildings will require highly skilled energy engineers for design
that will also reap environmental and social rewards. and implementation. We already have examples in downtown
Bridgeport today where geothermal wells are utilized to heat
The economic case for sustainability and cool apartments in the former CityTrust building recently
converted to residential by Urban Green Builders. These re-
A new sustainability framework for Bridgeport will create jobs, save quire skilled technicians for installation and maintenance.
money for city government, households and businesses, bolster the
city’s sagging tax base, and provide greater opportunity for growth.
Building Retrofits Jobs Deconstruction Jobs

Chicago’s program to weatherize single-family, multi-family Companies that specialize in deconstructing buildings and
and commercial buildings will create green construction and saving their historic materials for resale exist in cities all around
building-operations jobs. Three out of ten jobs will be entry- the country. In Baltimore, a nonprofit called Second Chance
level, providing new avenues to lucrative professions. Every employs 50 people in three deconstruction crews that are
$1 million invested in the program will create 8 jobs for supported by a retail team. The company trains low-income
single-family retrofits, 6 jobs for multi-family retrofits, and residents in Baltimore in a variety of skills that enable them
5.5 jobs for commercial retrofits. Since weatherization also to make a living wage for the rest of their careers. Employees
requires building materials and/or appliances, the program also develop an appreciation for their city’s architectural
will also generate additional, “indirect” demand for materials heritage (Brown, 2003). ReUse People in California and The
wholesaling and distribution (Schrock and Sundquist, 2009). Green Institute in Minneapolis run similar operations.
National Park Service employees in-

stalling a photovoltaic system on the
roof of a building in San Francisco
National Park Service
Landscaping Jobs
Green jobs in landscape design and horticulture were given a boost
by the ambitious Landscape Ordinance passed in Chicago in the
1990’s. By 2004, there were more than 20,000 landscaping and
groundskeeping jobs in Chicago’s Cook County, a number expected
to grow 14% by 2014 – twice as fast as other occupations (Illinois
Department of Employment Security, Occupational Employment
Projections, in Schrock and Sundquist, 2009). Every 1 million
square feet of new green roof is estimated to generate 400 new
jobs for roofers, landscapers and designers (Casey Trees Endowment
Fund and LimnoTech Inc., in Schrock and Sundquist, 2009). Workers undertaking a green
demolition in Buffalo
Buffalo ReUse

• Adopting smart grid and smart meter technology will require
Retrofits Pay new and different skills by utility electrical workers and spe-
cialty contractors, while installing household renewable energy
The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago reduced its energy use by systems, including solar photovoltaic (PV) and thermal, geo-
nearly 80% in 7 years and saved $219,000 a year. How? By thermal and “small wind” will employ system designers, electri-
replacing its boiler with a new heating and air conditioning cians, operators and installers (Schrock and Sundquist, 2009)
system, installing a reflective roof made of soy oil polymer,
switching to motion-activated fluorescent bulbs, and updating
its electric controls (Chicago Climate Plan, 2008).
Green Parking Lots

The owner and developers of U.S. Cellular Field, home of the
Chicago White Sox, recently rebuilt one of its main parking lots
(over 6 acres in size) with concrete pavers. Gaps between the
pavers enable water to seep back into the earth, or more precisely,
into a subbase capable of retaining 600,000 gallons of water, Downtown is the intermodal heart
equal to a 100-year rain event, and then into the earth. The $3.5 of the region’s transit network
RPA
million investment saves the City of Chicago about $400,000
reducing the amount of water entering the storm sewers and
needing to be treated. The pavers have a life expectancy of 40 • Expanding regional transit will directly employ construc-
years, longer than asphalt (Concrete Products, 2008). They also tion laborers, transit planners and engineers, and expand-
reduce the urban heat island effect, because they are more ing public transit will require more transit operators and
lightly colored than pavement, and thus reflect more sunlight. maintenance workers. Every $1 million invested in transit
Finally, the pavers are partly made from recycled material (Radick, creates 80 capital-construction jobs and an additional 100
2008). Several other ballparks have followed U.S. Cellular transit operations jobs (a similar investment in highway
Field’s lead, including Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. construction only generates 42 jobs ) (Surface Transporta-
tion Policy Project, Factsheet on Transportation and Jobs).
Location, Location, Location • Redesigning streets into complete streets, with pedes-
trian and bicycle infrastructure alongside automobile
Middle-income families living in central Tucson, Ariz., were found travel lanes, and with new landscaping in some cases,
to spend less than 30% of their income on both housing and will need planners, designers, engineers and road con-
transportation costs. Families in outlying areas, by contrast, spent struction labor (Schrock and Sundquist, 2009).
more than twice as much, making it hard to save money and build • Greening Bridgeport’s solid waste stream through increased
assets. (Investing in a car has no long term value.) (Bullock and recycling and reuse will also generate jobs. Recycling products
Bernstein, 2002, in Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2009). at a conventional materials recovery facility creates an aver-
age of 10 jobs compared to one job created to incinerate
an equal amount of waste (Institute for Local Self-Reliance).
The Value of Green Space Expanding Bridgeport’s recycling to include appliances and
electronics, organic waste and composting, and a program
In Philadelphia, properties within 500 feet of parks are worth 5% of waste oil collection, will create additional opportunity.
more than homes farther away. Aggregate increase in property
values: $690 million. Associated increase in property tax revenue
to the city: more than $18 million a year (Gies, 2009). In Atlanta,
the value of condominiums adjacent to the new Centennial Olympic
Park rose from $115 to $250 a square foot (Gies, 2009).
Flocking to a green Portland

The reputation of Portland, Ore., as one of the country’s greenest
cities, with close-in neighborhoods accessible by foot, bike, or
light rail, has attracted highly educated young professionals in
droves. From 1990 to 2000, the number of college-educated
25 to 34 year-olds increased 50% in the Portland metropolitan Bridgeport mayor Bill Finch distributes free
area – five times faster than in the nation as a whole (Cortright, recycling bins to a city resident
2007). With new transit lines and development along their formerly City of Bridgeport
industrial waterfront, this trend has continued over the past decade.
Contemporary economic development focuses more on creating • Salvaging historic construction materials as buildings are
livable communities where workers want to locate than luring demolished will create jobs disassembling buildings, as well
companies through tax breaks and other corporate incentives. as in the architectural preservation and reuse industries.

Cost savings
Bridgeport residents, businesses and the city government can save
money by implementing sustainability measures such as retrofitting
buildings for more efficient energy and water use, building transit-
oriented development to encourage transit use, and planting trees
and bioswales to reduce stormwater runoff. Electricity, heating, water
and other utility bills will be lowered when energy isn’t being wasted,
freeing up money for other expenditures in households and busi-
nesses across the city.
A recent study showed that investments in residential energy ef-
ficiency generated a return on investment of 12.5% to 30% – a higher
return than one earns on most other investments. Cost savings can
also be gained by trading in appliances for newer higher-efficiency
models, replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
and unplugging appliances when not in use. Since low-income fami-
lies spend up to a fifth of their income on energy costs, these savings
can be substantial (Chicago Climate Action Plan, 2008).
More expensive investments in schools, offices and government
buildings can often be financed up front by a performance contractor
by leveraging future fuel and electricity cost savings.
Water conservation measures also save money. Installing rain
barrels to collect rainwater and using it for landscaping, for instance,
reduces water bills for the property owner and saves the city the cost
of treating the stormwater. Low-flush toilets use about half as much
water as traditional toilets, and their up-front cost can be paid back
in just three years.
The location of new residential and office space has signifi-
cant cost-reduction potential, both for property owners and for the
municipal government. Neighborhoods with homes, offices and retail
A bike lane in downtown Minneapolis in close proximity give people the opportunity to walk, take a bus or
Flickr: Matty Lang
even bike to their destinations, reducing or eliminating the need to
own a car. In fact, although single-family homes farther from down-
• Green investment in water management offers opportu- town appear less expensive than homes closer in, the transportation
nity for yet more jobs with living wage salaries. Workers costs incurred when living far away can outweigh savings on housing
with skills in landscape design, horticulture and arboricul- costs (Lipman, 2006 in Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2009).
ture will be needed to add trees, bioswales, rain gardens, Giving up a car and switching to transit can save up to $5,000 a year
and green roofs to our city’s environment. Upgrades to our in fuel, insurance and parking costs (Chicago Climate Plan, 2008).
traditional water infrastructure – including the new require- Using transit also helps to untie Bridgeport’s growth from volatile fuel
ments of Bridgeport’s Storm Water Management Regula- prices.
tions – will employ construction workers, technicians, land-
scape architects, civil engineers and management staff. The larger benefits of being green
Green investments often have additional ancillary benefits, though
The BGreen 2020 Green Jobs Plan is to empower and equip they can be difficult to measure. Designating a new park, for example,
Bridgeport’s existing technical schools and universities with the precludes it from being developed and removes a potential source
green-jobs training programs necessary to build Bridgeport’s new of revenue for the city, but it also generates other economic benefits.
green workforce. It increases the value of nearby properties – sometimes enough
to make up for any loss in property taxes from the park site. More
A stronger tax base broadly, a park will also reduce health care costs thanks to cleaner
Sustainable development will increase Bridgeport’s tax base and pro- air and new recreational opportunities, reduce water treatment costs
vide direct revenue to the city. Sales of publicly owned properties over thanks to more stormwater diverted away from the sewer system, and
the past two years have netted the city $2.1 million to aid the munici- improve the fishing and shellfishing industries thanks to less water
pal budget. If vacant brownfields in the city were redeveloped and re- runoff to Long Island Sound.
turned to their highest and best use, the city’s tax rolls could increase
by up to $50 million annually. The beautification and redevelopment Improving Bridgeport’s image
of blighted properties will increase the values of households adjacent As the reality of climate change sets in, the country and the region
to them. As new residents and workers are attracted to new develop- will soon be turning to those communities that have already dem-
ment in the city, they will support local businesses, keeping them in onstrated leadership in the area of sustainability. By implement-
business and increasing their value. ing BGreen 2020, Bridgeport will position itself to be that leader,
The construction and ongoing management of green buildings – developing a green workforce and refining the green policy models
with state-of-the-art energy efficiency and other green technologies that others will want to copy. As a side benefit, these sustainability
– will attract attention to Bridgeport and make the city more competi- strategies will help to transform the City’s image from a rust-belt city
tive in the regional market. This, in turn, will further increase the city’s struggling with its post-industrial legacy to a clean, green community
tax base and its ability to provide services. with a high quality of life.

The environmental case for sustainability
Institutionalizing
While individual actions can sometimes seem too small to matter, a
comprehensive implementation of the BGreen 2020 Plan will have Bridgeport’s efforts into a
major beneficial impact on our environment. Switching out incan-
descent bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs, planting more trees, comprehensive strategy
better insulating our buildings, removing underground storage tanks,
encouraging people to use transit, walk and bike, and all the other The City has already undertaken a number of initiatives to improve
individual and collective actions we take will significantly curb Bridge- economic, environmental and social conditions in Bridgeport that
port’s contribution to climate change, improve the quality of our air, – while not always advertised as sustainability - have laid a strong
reduce ground and water pollution, improve public health, and bring foundation for the BGreen 2020 Initiative.
nature back into our city.
Acting for environmental change
The social case for sustainability
In 2005, Bridgeport joined ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection
A sustainable framework for growth moving forward will help to im- Campaign and signed onto the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement,
prove social equity in Bridgeport. Cleaner air and better recreational both commitments to reduce Bridgeport’s contribution to the problem
opportunities in parks and along our waterfront will disproportionately of climate change. Even with a limited budget, the City has already
benefit struggling Bridgeport residents. Sustainability initiatives will reduced municipal energy use and carbon emissions by over 6%.
also help to create lively, people-focused communities. “Complete New energy-management systems in municipal buildings, includ-
streets,” designed for all users, not just drivers, bring neighborhoods ing motion-activated lighting, new lighting fixtures, more efficient
together, instead of separating them as wide, busy roads do. Mix- HVAC systems, and a thorough analysis of utility bills to identify en-
ing retail, office and residential space supports small businesses. ergy usage anomalies or trends have, together, reduced greenhouse-
Investing in public transit provides greater economic opportunity gas emissions from electricity use in municipal buildings by nearly
and greater choices for all adults who wish to work. A thriving local 2,400 metric tons or 9% of total annual municipal building emissions
economy gives individuals and families the chance to become eco- (The U.S. Conference of Mayors featured many of these efforts in its
nomically stable, self-supporting, empowered and hopeful. The future Energy and Environment Best Practices Guide.) By retrofitting traffic
presented by BGreen 2020 represents unparalleled opportunity to and street lights with LED components or other more efficient bulbs,
create a stronger social fabric and vibrant citywide community. the city has saved an additional 220 metric tons of CO2e or 0.5% of
municipal electricity usage. Bridgeport showed further commitment to
reducing its climate impact with purchase of 20% “green electricity”
(8,900 MWh per year) for its municipal buildings and schools since
2007. Through the Conservation Corps and household weatherization
programs, the city is working to expand its success beyond municipal
operations and to the entire community.
Since 2006, the City has joined forces annully with TechniArt
to host several very successful Lighting Fairs that made available
compact fluorescent lights and fixtures, at reduced prices, to em-
ployees and the general public. The state’s energy conservation fund,
managed by two state electrical utility companies (United Illuminat-
ing and Connecticut Light and Power), subsidized the cost of the
merchandise.
The City has reduced its carbon footprint in the transportation
sector by reducing the city fleet, retiring older vehicles and replacing
them with lower-emissions alternatives (compressed natural gas and
hybrids), and installing GPS in a portion of the municipal city fleet to
track vehicle use and improve routing efficiency.
The first compressed natural-gas fueling station open to the pub-
lic between New York City and Hartford opened in 2006 as a result of
the public-private partnership between the City of Bridgeport, Iroquois
Gas Transmission System, Santa Energy Corporation, the State of
Connecticut, Southern Connecticut Gas Company and Clean Cities
Coalition of Southwest Connecticut.
The City has made strides in cleaning up brownfields by raising
federal funding to assess and clean up dirty sites, and then leverage
private sector investment on those sites. Since 1994, the City has
secured $5 million in U.S. EPA funding for site assessment, cleanup,
training and revolving loan funds across the city of Bridgeport. The
City’s efforts to complete initial assessments at the former Carpenter
Steel site reduced the risk of redevelopment and led to Derecktor
Shipping building their new ship-building facility on 23 acres of the
site. The City-led site assessment of the former Jenkins Valve site
persuaded the Zurich Re Corporation to clean the site at a cost of
$11 million and revitalize the area with the Arena and Ballpark at
Harbor Yard, now home to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Bridge-

port Bluefish. Most recently, the city has invested its resources in the hoods. Since the creation of the zones was enabled by the state in
Steelpointe and Carpenter Technology sites to spur the private invest- 1995, four Revitalization Zone plans have been officially designated
ment that will generate retail and commercial business opportunities, in the city and two more are being drafted.
jobs, and additional tax revenue.
In 2008, recognizing the need for a comprehensive approach Acting for economic change
to sustainability, the Finch Administration issued an Executive Order
that launched a citywide sustainability initiative in partnership with At a time when Bridgeport needs tax revenue, the City cannot afford
the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, from which the BGreen to own excess property. Over the past several years, Bridgeport has
2020 Plan ultimately emerged. More recently, the City launched the consolidated some of its municipal operations and sold unneeded
Mayor’s Conservation Corps, a job opportunity for young adults to parcels to enable downtown development for housing and commerce.
canvass Bridgeport neighborhoods and raise awareness about the In addition to netting $2.1 million from the sale of the properties,
environment; adopted Storm Water Management Regulations for the new developments generate more tax revenue for the city, create
new development projects in Bridgeport; established the legislative construction and rehabilitation jobs (approximately 150 jobs), attract
framework for an Energy Improvement District; and started retrofitting more residents (at least 1,000 new apartments downtown), allow
approximately 2,500 of the city’s public housing units with energy- for the renovation of historic buildings, and enhance the vibrancy of
and water-saving measures expected to reduce emissions by more downtown.
than 3,000 metric tons CO2e a year and save almost 100 million The City has reduced its municipal fleet, lowering operating costs
gallons of water a year. and generating revenue from the vehicle sales. Energy retrofits in
buildings, street lights and traffic lights have saved kilowatts and dol-
Acting for social change lars (see Acting for environmental change for a more complete list of
energy-savings measures adopted in Bridgeport).
The City is in the middle of an aggressive long-term plan to renovate Several City Service Departments, including Fire, Police, and the
and build new educational facilities. Five new state-of-the-art schools Board of Education, have found ways to tighten budgets and make
that accommodate 3,000 students are complete. A new science and contractual concessions while continuing to provide services.
technology magnet elementary school will open in August 2010. With the help of EPA funding and the WorkPlace, the City has pro-
Major renovations are underway at the Regional Aquaculture School, vided green job training for lead and asbestos abatement, environ-
one of 26 schools undergoing repair or renovation. mental technician and hazardous waste operations and emergency
The City has implemented a new community garden program, response. As noted earlier in this report, the City and private interests
offering 10-year leases to city residents who wish to grow flowers and have also successfully completed a number of site remediation proj-
fresh produce on vacant city sites. These new green spaces provide ects to enable redevelopment of underdeveloped properties.
neighborhood residents with a safe place to socialize as well as fresh
locally grown food. Renovations have started at Seaside Park, a 370-
acre Olmsted design on the Long Island Sound, with the construction Moving Forward
of bioswales and retention ponds to improve stormwater quality, the
planting of 100 new coniferous trees as a screen from the landfill, Bridgeport’s environmental measures, social initiatives and economic
the construction of West Beach Bathhouse and the renovation of the investments over the last decade have achieved positive and measur-
historic Casino Bathhouse. Went Field was also recently renovated able results. But more is needed. Bridgeport’s challenges continue to
and expanded from 6 to 10 acres after the City acquired and cleaned loom large – global climate change, deep pockets of poverty in our
up two adjacent brownfields – a critical gain in open space for West neighborhoods, and contaminated land, water and air – and they give
End residents, where open space is scarce (http://www.epa.gov/ us no choice but to act boldly. If Bridgeport is to survive and thrive,
region1/brownfields/success/bridgeport.html). A 1.6 mile stretch of it must become, in Mayor Bill Finch’s words, “the cleanest, greenest,
an old rail line has been converted to a walking and bicycling trail safest, and most affordable city, with schools and neighborhoods that
along the Pequonnock River. Finally, throughout the city, decorative improve every year.”
lighting as well as new trees and landscaping in the medians and On October 24, 2008, Mayor Finch signed an Executive Order,
sidewalks create more pedestrian-friendly environments and have with the goal of developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy
been completed on nearly 15 miles of the city’s roads. for Bridgeport. This Order:
The City has completed other important projects that support
1. Reestablished goals for reducing carbon emissions;
Bridgeport’s social infrastructure, including the construction of the
Arena and Ball Park at Harbor Yard, the renovation of the Klein Memo-
2. Established a Sustainability Community Advisory Com-
rial Auditorium, the expansion and upgrade of Bridgeport’s Transit
mittee composed of nearly 40 community lead-
Center, and the renovation of the Wonderland of Ice.
ers to oversee a citywide sustainability initiative;
Private entities have made equally valuable contributions to
Bridgeport’s sustainable future. Housatonic Community College
3. Launched a citywide sustainability initiative in partner-
expanded into the former Sears building, and renovated its Perform-
ship with the Bridgeport Regional Business Council.
ing Arts Center. St. Vincent’s Medical Center is in the process of
greening its facility. A new Independent Arts Council aims to develop This Executive Order, and the BGreen Plan that has emerged from
and market the arts in Bridgeport. And of course, countless other civic it, marks a new beginning for Bridgeport.
and faith-based organizations work every day to improve Bridgeport
through clean-up projects, mentoring programs, training workshops,
and food and goods collection.
To ensure that planning in the city is done in concert with its
many neighborhoods, Bridgeport’s Neighborhood Revitalization
Zones are helping to build a sustainable Bridgeport by empowering
residents to help direct the future development of their own neighbor-

From thus far is decribed in detail in the figure below and the public will
continue to be involved as the plan is implemented over the coming
decade.
Vision
A public/private partnership leads the way
BGreen 2020 is the result of a public-private partnership between
the City of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Regional Business Council,
a consortium of local business groups. This public/private structure
to Plan
was chosen because it is the best way to ensure meaningful success
for Bridgeport. After all, City government is just one of a larger group
of actors in Bridgeport, the source of only a small part of the city’s air,
water, and land pollution, the employer of only a fraction of residents,
and the holder of only limited assets. Public-private partnerships
allow the government to set the policy framework and make initial
investments which are then leveraged by the private sector into
A Comprehensive Process wholesale change. Public/private partnerships are also effective
ways to mobilize a range of stakeholders, particularly stakeholders
Bridgeport’s BGreen 2020 Sustainability Plan outlines the policies whose actions have a citywide impact. Public/private partnerships,
and actions to be implemented in the next decade to improve the finally, are able to complement the City’s limited financial resources
quality of life, social equity, and economic competitiveness of the and staff by raising the supplemental capital and bringing additional
city’s residents, workers, and visitors. By building on Bridgeport’s experience to the table. Further down the road, this early participa-
existing strengths, BGreen will modernize our infrastructure, create tion from the private sector and foundations will help leverage state
wealth, intensify urban amenities, enhance environmental quality, and federal funding to bring individual projects to fruition. Many
enable revitalization without gentrification, and retain Bridgeport’s other successful sustainability initiatives have been based on similar
historic character. public-private structures including, those in Denver, CO., Trenton, NJ,
The BGreen 2020 initiative recognizes that global and regional and Vancouver, Canada.
issues are intertwined with local issues; and that economic success To lead this initiative, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council
is linked with social and environmental prosperity. A brownfield site hired a program management team led by Regional Plan Association
that has been reclaimed and redeveloped as a new mixed-use build- and including Global Infrastructure Strategies, the Meridian Institute,
ing near transit improves the city’s environment, adds to its tax base, and MP & Associates. Together, the team brought to the project a
provides jobs, promotes walking, reduces gasoline consumption and strong background in stakeholder engagement, planning and imple-
air pollution, and enhances public health. mentation.
The success of BGreen 2020 depends on broad public participa- The team established a Community Advisory Committee with
tion. Throughout the planning process, BGreen 2020 has sought and more than 40 people representing government, local businesses, the
incorporated ideas a broad spectrum of stakeholders. The process civic sector, and the community at large. The Community Advisory
Organizational Mayor Bill Finch

Paul Timpanelli BRBC
Chart
Community Advisory Board
Resource Project Management Team City of Bridgeport

Committee Sustainability
Regional Plan Association
Global Infrastructure Strategies
Director
Meridian Institute
MP & Associates Ted Grabarz
Green Green Space, Greenfields and Green Business, Green Marketing City of Bridgeport
Energy/Green Recycling and Green Wheels Jobs and and Education Departments
Buildings Water Resources Committee Purchasing Committee
Committee Committee Committee
Bill Leahy Gregg Dancho Ron Kilcoyne Susan Davis Richard Buzzard
Tom McCarthy Dick Tiani Barbara Miller Anne Robinson Shate Hanks

Committee met quarterly over the course of the first year of this initia- TBL accounting being used as an analytical tool by any Connecticut
tive and oversaw the overall development of the BGreen Plan. Five municipality. It is hoped that this TBL assessment will prove a model
Technical Subcommittees were also created to help define BGreen’s for additional actions within Bridgeport, regionally and at the state
policy strategies and goals in five separate program areas (see our level for policy, planning and governance. Through additional, similar
chart). Each subcommittee was composed of 15 to 20 volunteers assessments, all residents will gain greater awareness of the full
with significant knowledge about that area, and was co-chaired by meaning of all costs and benefits of certain actions—a necessary
two well-respected community leaders. The technical subcommittees step towards achieving sustainable living and combined economic,
met frequently throughout the year. social, and environmental prosperity.
Technical subcommittee program areas: A model for others

• Greenfields and Green Wheels (land use and transportation)
Municipal vs. Community Emissions
• Green Spaces, Recycling, and Water Resources RPA*
• Green Energy and Buildings

• Green Businesses, Jobs and Purchasing
Community GHG emissions
• Green Marketing, Education and Outreach 1,019,544 metric tons
The Technical Subcommittees drew upon existing planning docu-
ments, including Bridgeport’s most recent Master Plan, Bridgeport
2020, Local Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) plans, and Municipal GHG emissions
various department plans. They also benefited from the considerable 40,430 metric tons
knowledge and expertise of local stakeholders who represented such
diverse interests as state and federal environmental, energy, labor Many cities and towns around the country are moving their munici-
and housing agencies; energy companies, utilities, banks, and real palities toward sustainability. In some, city staff members are taking
estate development firms; professional stakeholders including archi- the lead with changes to governmental operations, and, to whatever
tects, landscape architects, and attorneys; professional associations extent possible, developing programs aimed at broader community
including the American Institute of Architects and U.S. Green Building action. In others, small advisory committees are forging plans for
Council; neighborhood representatives including NRZ groups, City energy reduction or other targeted areas. From the start, BGreen
Councilors, advocates for environmental justice, land conservation, 2020 recognized the comprehensive nature of sustainability and
health and recreation; local and regional educational institutions; responded with comprehensive action. Given the fact that city opera-
and nationally known experts in the fields of energy, green spaces tions account for only 4% of community-wide emissions, the initiative
and transportation. These subcommittees generated initiatives that structure developed for BGreen will provide a model for cities across
were subsequently analyzed internally with triple bottom line account- the country looking to forge the partnerships necessary to go beyond
ing and vetted by the Community Advisory Committee. municipal impact.
By forming five distinct Technical Subcommittees, the initiative
Using the Triple Bottom Line has been able to simultaneously address the spectrum of sustain-
as the measure of success ability concerns. Within a relatively short time frame, this organi-
zational model has proven extremely effective not only in enabling
Triple bottom line accounting means expanding the traditional report- plan development, but equally importantly in prompting discussions
ing framework to take into account ecological and social performance across multiple sectors, drawing quickly upon the varied technical
in addition to economic performance. expertise of many representatives, and developing multi-party buy-in.
All initiatives to emerge from the Technical Subcommittees were Furthermore, the creation of a public/private partnership between the
reviewed within a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework to assess their City of Bridgeport and Bridgeport Regional Business Council proved
overall community impact. TBL accounting is neither exact nor purely a uniquely successful strategy for prompting greater participation
quantitative. It is designed to assess both positive and negative ex- by stakeholders, and in accessing necessary financial support, than
ternalities of decisions beyond their direct cost and financial payback would likely have resulted from the effort being run solely out of city
period. While the public health benefits of reducing the amount of hall.
cars on our roads and their emissions is incredibly complex to deter- If our nation and world are going to make the timely changes
mine, we can qualitatively assess whether it will have a very positive, necessary to rebuild our economy based on green industries, reduce
positive, neutral, negative, or very negative impact on the community our greenhouse gas emissions staving off extreme climate change,
economic, social, and environmental well being. and eliminate the social inequalities that result in the most vulner-
Using 14 criteria approved by the Community Advisory Commit- able members of our society bearing the brunt of the impacts of
tee, every BGreen proposal to emerge from the Technical Subcom- global warming, it will be achieved through partnerships modeled
mittees was evaluated for TBL and assigned a cumulative TBL rating. after BGreen that bring public, private, and civic partners together in
(While the qualitative nature of the TBL scoring demands that care be the effort at the local scale.
taken in making “total score” comparisons, the true value of the TBL
assessment is in its requiring broader thinking.) One of the most criti-
cal elements in achieving sustainable living is to create a widespread
sustainability mindset throughout the city. The criteria used and full
analysis can be found online in Appendix 6.
Though TBL analysis is not currently the norm for decision-mak-
ing, it is becoming established policy in several large cities across
the globe including Melbourne, Australia and Calgary, Canada. A * Using Clean Air and Climate Protection (CACP) software, developed by the National Association
cursory review lends the conclusion that this is the first instance of of Clean Air Agencies, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, and Torrie Smith Associates, Inc.

Bridgeport Emissions
Summary of BGreen 2020
Municipal Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector
goals and priorities Water/Sewage 15.9%
The BGreen 2020 Sustainability Plan focuses on five areas essential
to improving the quality of life in our city: energy supply and demand, Street & Traffic
transportation and land use, open space and water quality, the green Lights 6.4%
Buildings 46.6%
economy, and the amplification of the benefits of sustainability. The
actions outlined in the plan are each important in their own right;
Employee
combined, they provide an even stronger framework for realizing the Commute 21%
economic, social, and environmental revitalization of Bridgeport.
Fleet 10.4%
Green Energy and Buildings
Primary Goals Citywide Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector
• Utilize sustainable energy practices and production as a Waste 1.2%

driver for economic development; generate significant sav-
ings for municipal facilities, businesses and residents; Transportation 33.3% Residential 29.3%
and reduce the carbon footprint of the community.
• Improve the energy efficiency of public and private
sector facilities and residences, creating real dol-
lar savings and environmental benefits.
• Lower energy costs through aggregation programs Industrial 8.6% Commercial 27.6%
and other bulk purchasing opportunities.
Implementation priorities ing public-transit incentive programs will put the policy into motion.
Energy supply and costs are critical drivers for the growth and Support will be developed by outreach to the largest employers to
redevelopment of the city. One of the most important steps for the identify workable programs and incentives such as “eco passes,” hour
city to take is to establish an Energy Improvement District (EID)—a car availability, and van and shuttle services which can be imple-
step that is already enabled by state law and municipal ordinance— mented to reduce single-occupancy driving, road congestion and air
and name an independent Board to coordinate city energy policy, pollution. Transportation demand will be analyzed to prioritize bus
oversee energy efficiency projects, develop more renewable energy and train infrastructure and operating investments along with a fund-
resources, and establish policies to cut energy costs and consump- ing strategy to enable their implementation. Expanded bus opera-
tion. Under the aegis of this EID Board, the City of Bridgeport will tions, targeted enhanced bus corridors, and a new East Side train
create policies and programs to maximize conservation and energy station will be explored.
efficiency through residential and commercial weatherization efforts, The City took its most powerful first step toward a sustainable
the retrofitting of all municipal facilities, and the conversion of land use strategy when it enacted zoning amendments in 2009 to
the wastewater treatment facility into a state-of-the-art green enable transformation of unused industrial sites into commercial
technology operation. The EID will also ensure that the power we use sites and to enable mixed-use development and pedestrian-centered
is increasingly clean, whether it was produced at a renewable energy neighborhoods. Developing a top-notch GIS system is necessary to
park in Bridgeport, or purchased from elsewhere through green enable redevelopment and sound comprehensive land use planning.
generation companies. By optimizing GIS capability, every interested party and municipal
planning department will be able to make the most informed deci-
Greenfields and Green Wheels sions regarding a particular site’s potential and drawbacks as related
to a myriad of uses including development and development costs,
Primary Goals flood control, and green spaces use within the larger neighborhood
and city context. Developing Bridgeport’s GIS system into a compre-
• Reduce automobile trips, vehicle miles trav-
hensive planning tool can be accomplished by expanding informa-
eled, and the city’s transportation emissions.
tion links, creating near real-time updating and by optimizing data
• Facilitate the redevelopment of underutilized sites through- accessibility.
out the city, transitioning blighted properties into neigh-
borhood amenities that support the city’s tax rolls. Green Spaces, Water Resources
• Provide city residents, workers and visitors with a wide and Recycling
range of mobility options that are less carbon intensive.
Primary Goals
Implementation priorities • Ensure the city’s residents have access to abun-
A “Transit First” policy to encourage mode shift from single occupan-
dant, high quality, and interconnected open spaces
cy automobiles to walking, bicycling and public transit will establish
that foster community cohesion and stewardship.
the City’s transportation priorities and serve as the foundation for
all other steps. Developing “complete streets” with bicycle and • Reduce overall waste and maximize the share of the
pedestrian opportunities along with automobile lanes, and promot- waste stream that is recycled and composted.

• Ensure residents have access to safe, clean drink- • Create 1000 new green collar jobs in Bridgeport
ing water and healthy coastal resources. by 2012 by recruiting green businesses and train-
ing workers for the new green economy.
Implementation priorities • Utilize the purchasing power of the public and pri-
Developing a quality greenspace system will require Bridgeport to vate sectors to buy green products, including re-
pursue four actions. First, the City must inventory existing green cycled materials, green cleaning products, green en-
spaces and develop a comprehensive plan for expansion. This plan ergy, and other eco-friendly products and materials
must take into account the needs of underserved communities and
populations, provide gardens and urban farms for food and recre-
ation, supplement current passive and active recreational opportuni- Implementation priorities
ties, provide waterfront access, expand the street tree program and Bridgeport can become a focal point for green business and jobs
urban forest, provide for linkages between green spaces, and protect creation in the State of Connecticut. A three-tiered approach under
the integrity of Bridgeport’s natural water systems through updated the auspices of a Green Collar Institute will change the face of the
coastal area management zone and inland wetlands and watercours- city and build a foundation for Bridgeport’s economic revival. A model
es plans. Establishing a voice for green spaces and environmental green business incubator or green business cluster, with a core of
issues is a second critical element of green space development and twenty companies, will be developed in order to bring new green jobs
can be accomplished through the establishment of a Conservation and innovation to the city. This economic niche will reposition Bridge-
Commission and a stronger green space coalition to act in a “Friends port for the next 50 years. Complementing this business opportunity
of Parks” capacity. Both entities will help forward a third critical initia- will be a comprehensive green collar jobs career-ladder training
tive – the development of adequate equipment and resources for continuum, which will be developed through a partnership between
maintenance of the viable green space system. Finally, Bridgeport the region’s Workforce Board, its vocational, two-year and four-year
must encourage its residents to develop stewardship programs, colleges, and numerous nonprofit institutions to provide nationally
which help secure the city’s valuable green spaces as healthy com- recognized certifications in fields such as weatherization, green facili-
munity resources. ties management, green landscaping, and water resource engineer-
A threefold approach will reduce solid waste produced in ing. A recent $4 million grant from the Federal Department of Labor
Bridgeport. Recycling education will be combined with door-to- will be used to jumpstart this effort. Additionally, using municipal
door outreach through the Conservation Corps and infrastructure buildings and operations as a pilot, Bridgeport will move to incor-
investment to reduce the onus on participants, evolving recycling into porate environmentally preferred purchasing and operations in all
an everyday occurrence across the city. In addition to expanding its city functions, from buying recycled and environmentally appropriate
reach into the entire residential sector, Bridgeport will establish cred- products to creating greater incentives that support mass transporta-
ible commercial recycling programs by hosting educational forums tion options for its employees. Finally, it is recommended that the
and supporting the recycling efforts of businesses large and small. Bridgeport Regional Business Council and the City work together with
A move to single stream or other, more comprehensive recycling businesses and residents to take steps to green existing facilities,
methods will build upon this expanded recycling participation and homes and lifestyles. While the city will play an important leader-
enable greater gains by offering the chance to recycle more types of ship role, the most dramatic impacts can come from the residential
products. Attention will be focused on construction and demolition and commercial sectors of the city where past practices have led to
materials recycling through regulation, incentives and infrastructure environmental neglect.
development. Finally, a comprehensive composting program to con-
vert food waste to reusable soil should be developed in coordination Green Marketing, Education and Outreach
with the schools, hospitals, universities and food service industry.
Education will be the first step towards water resources protec- Primary goals
tion. We will raise residents’ awareness of their impact on our water
• Educate students about sustainability that will assist them
resources, through door-to-door canvassing by our Conservation
in better understanding how energy efficiency and conserva-
Corps and by including BGreen logos on the City’s storm drains
tion contribute to a healthier environment and save money.
that lead directly to Long Island Sound. The City’s sewer separation
program will be supplemented with a host of site-specific measures • Increase awareness and introduce best practices to Bridgeport
such as green roofs, swales and rain barrels, also by engaging residential households on living in a more sustainable manner.
residents’ personal commitment to our city’s water management
• Brand the BGreen initiative as an essential com-
system. The City’s first Stormwater Management Guidelines were
ponent of the city’s revitalization plan.
recently adopted and are expected to regulate stormwater on all fu-
ture larger-site development. The city’s GIS database will help identify
best opportunities for site-specific water management that can be Implementation priorities
accomplished through rain gardens on private sites and through the One of Bridgeport’s greatest assets is its diversity of communities, all
Inclusion of green spaces in the development of Complete Streets of whom will be engaged in Bridgeport’s sustainability efforts through
in public rights-of-way. Overall, identifying stormwater as a distinct a variety of early-education and outreach initiatives. Educating resi-
responsibility of city government and private property owners will be dents on the environmental, social and cost-saving benefits of sus-
essential to managing the simultaneous threat and resource. tainability and how to reap these benefits will be a top priority. One
hundred percent citywide participation is the underlying goal of our
Green Businesses, Jobs and Purchasing BGreen’s outreach efforts, and community groups and city residents
will be asked to assume leadership positions in numerous projects
Primary goals and initiatives. Engaging youth, inside and outside of schools, will be
a particular priority. With increased coordination of previously isolated
• Assist green businesses to grow and prosper in Bridge-
initiatives, BGreen and Bridgeport will track all sustainable activity,
port and help the city diversify its business base.
accomplishments and partners, and actively brand Bridgeport as a
sustainable and model green city.

From Plan sectors, as well as hundreds of individuals. Success in implemention
rests on being able to engage an even larger number of individu-
als and organizations. Over the next year, BGreen will actively solicit
additional partners for continued planning and initiative implementa-
to Action
tion. To facilitate the completion of specific action items, the BGreen
Plan has already identified those organizations with parallel or mutual
interests to the goals of BGreen 2020. We will reach out to these or-
ganizations not engaged previously. This targeted outreach will amplify
the BGreen Initiative from a base of several hundred individuals to
a base of several hundred organizations, each with its own extensive
membership. In addition to developing specific project- or program-
Organizing, engaging based partnerships, BGreen will define several types and levels of
financial partnership opportunities through which individuals, corpo-
and empowering rations, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations
can support the sustainability initiative and its programs.
Organizational structure Engaging city government

The BGreen 2020 Sustainability Initiative management structure was The City’s internal departmental, legislative, and funding mechanisms
established in late 2008 as a public / private partnership between will integrate sustainability as a defining paradigm. The Sustainabil-
the City of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. ity Coordinator has already taken significant steps towards making
This structure was chosen with the recognition that City govern- sustainable practices a part of departmental considerations, and is
ment accounted for less than 5% of energy use and emissions, and working to move certain early implementation items forward internally
that greater mobilization of non-government stakeholders with the as well as through extensive discussions with others in the private,
resources and ability to make necessary changes was needed to public and nonprofit sectors. City Council and all City Commissions
achieve greater results. The structure further recognized the limits of will be fully briefed on the BGreen plan and strategies. These bodies
City financial resources and staff and the greater opportunities for will be asked to make a number of decisions with regards to budgets,
garnering funds from private corporations and foundations as well as funding and programs, which will be critical to the implementation of
leveraging state and federal funding. BGreen strategies moving forward. Several policies and regulations at
A program management team, led by Regional Plan Association, the state level will need to change to achieve sustainability. Influenc-
was hired in 2009 to facilitate the planning effort. In July 2009, the ing those will likely require Bridgeport to work with its peer cities and
City named a Sustainability Coordinator to begin integrating sus- towns to demonstrate the positive impact that amended state policy
tainability principles within city government and to implement early can have on local, green economic development.
action items. This organizational structure established for the recently
completed planning phase (Phase I) of this initiative enabled Bridge- Educating, marketing and
port to quickly develop a workable plan for citywide sustainability engaging a community
and to gain the attention of several state and federal agencies. It also
brought together a multitude of disparate interests to address numer- BGreen 2020’s success will depend upon the efforts of many.
ous topics which had not previously been viewed as areas of mutual Increased education, outreach and marketing will raise awareness of
concern. The result was the development of many new relationships BGreen’s overall goals and strategies, engage an increasingly greater
vital to the pursuit of BGreen goals. number of residents, businesses and organizations in strategy rollout,
In 2010, a suitable long-term organizational structure for BGreen and demonstrate Bridgeport’s approach and unwavering dedication
2020 must be identified. To be successful, this structure will need to to becoming green. BGreen will use multi-media outlets, community
be stable and durable, yet flexible. Creating an entity that provides groups, professional organizations and schools to expand community
accountability and independent oversight for BGreen 2020 is criti- engagement and foster increased community empowerment.
cal to its long-term success and will be an early priority. There are
a number of viable options. The City could bring the BGreen 2020 Making sustainability a core value
Sustainability Initiative under its control and implement the recom-
mendations included in this report. As an alternative, a new nonprofit The ultimate goal of BGreen 2020 is to make sustainability a core
entity could be created to carry forward this work over the long-term. value throughout the city. This can be accomplished quickly by
Finally, the present structure could remain in place over the short implementing the multiple, far-reaching strategies of the BGreen plan,
term, pending a more complete evaluation. Given the fiscal urgency by engaging the community, and by demonstrating the financial, eco-
to implement a number of the action items in this report, and the nomic and/or environmental gains resulting from each and every step
limited funds available within city government, it is recommended the of BGreen. Cities, thanks to their size and community cohesion, have
present structure remain in place for a six- to twelve-month period to the potential to scale up actions quickly and lead the way.
provide continuity and coordination of policies and program initia-
tives, to fast-track early implementation projects both within city
government and in the private market, and to establish a permanent Funding BGreen
structure going forward.
The BGreen 2020 plan represents a long-term commitment to green
Expanding partnerships investment. BGreen 2020 requires two types of funding – program
management funding and project-specific funding. Program manage-
A major thrust of BGreen’s early implementation stage will be ex- ment funding will support the efforts of the program management
panded partnership development. The creation of this plan depended team that has coordinated the process through the planning phase
on the robust engagement of the city’s public, private and nonprofit and will oversee the coordinated implementation of the plan’s strate-

gies. BGreen program funding for 2010 is expected to range from These include such programs as workforce training (HUD), com-
$130,000 to $170,000. Project-specific funding will support specific munity development and beautification, and health initiatives (HUD
initiatives which will include planning initiatives, educational program and Connecticut Department of Social Services), and environmental
development, and major capital or infrastructure investments. Be- remediation training (U.S. EPA). A number of new federal programs
cause initiatives are all the product of a comprehensive sustainability offer expanded financial opportunities that could prove critical to the
planning process, upfront costs will be offset by future savings result- launch of a number of BGreen initiatives, including energy retrofit
ing from stronger local economy, environment, and health. programs and job training programs (U.S. Departments of Energy and
Supplemental funding may be necessary for outside consultants Labor). BGreen has already received grants for a career ladder jobs
to conduct planning studies or technical analyses necessary to deter- training continuum and applied for funding for low-interest loans for
mine the feasibility or details of capital investments which fall outside home energy retrofits.
the typical responsibilities of municipal government or outside the BGreen will engage city officials in developing a coordinated
limits of Bridgeport’s capital budget. For example, in-depth stud- funding strategy rather than solicit funding from state and federal
ies will be necessary to determine the potential for a green energy governments in a piecemeal fashion, so as to leverage limited
generation park; detailed designs will be necessary before new parks resources to have the maximum impact. BGreen has already met with
can be constructed or bike trails built. Every effort will be made to representatives from U.S. EPA, U.S. DOE and CT DEP, CT DOT, CT Office
take advantage of the planning services and engineering expertise of of Personnel Management, and the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to
city departments and other local and state agencies where possible. share progress of the BGreen initiative to date.
Embedded in all the strategies recommended in this plan is a signifi-
cant level of outreach and education to garner public support and to Foundation support
incrementally change behavior in the community and local busi- Historically, private foundations have provided financial support that
nesses on recycling, energy efficiency, stormwater management, and helps to fill holes in our society’s governmental funding base, bridges
other aspects of sustainability. Financial support will be necessary gaps in social services and, equally important, enables progressive
to develop and implement these educational programs to achieve initiatives that are not typically undertaken by corporate or public
community-wide results. Finally, existing municipal expenditures will entities. BGreen is one of those initiatives. The planning of BGreen
be aligned wherever possible with the comprehensive recommenda- 2020 and the writing of this BGreen 2020 Sustainability Plan were
tions of this plan to maximize co-benefits, but local limitations will made possible in part through generous funding from Fairfield County
ensure that supplemental funds will be necessary. State and Federal Community Foundation and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.
funds will be pursued to assist in supporting the largest investments, Going forward, BGreen hopes to receive additional foundation
but the private sector and large foundations will be necessary part- support for specific planning activities, green initiatives with strong
ners in the implementation of smaller capital projects such as tree community development components, and both short-term (single
planting, pocket parks, and bike lanes. project and/or single day) or longer-term outreach and educational
programs. BGreen will actively reach out to foundations to identify
Financial Partners areas of mutual interest and future partnership opportunities.
Bridgeport will aggressively pursue full implementation of all strate- Corporate Resources
gies presented in the BGreen 2020 Plan and look to all private and BGreen has already received funding from PSE&G and in-kind
public funding sources and funding partners to do so. While the plan support from several other corporations as well as the Bridgeport
identifies certain first-, second- and five-year priority projects, BGreen Regional Business Council. It also benefitted from invaluable profes-
recognizes that in any given year additional unforeseen opportunities sional and technical input from many corporate members of the
to complement or replace ongoing actions might arise with greater Community Advisory Committee, the Technical Subcommittees and
impact, ease of implementation, or alignment with the goals of local the broader community. Corporations offer some of the most versatile
foundations and corporations. Public resources as well as partner- mechanisms to assist communities. They can provide direct grant
ships with private foundations and businesses will be necessary to assistance, offer financial support through associated corporate
carry out BGreen priorities over the next year and beyond: foundations, assume vital roles as business partners, lend financial
resources in support of programs, and provide in-kind services or
Public Resources products for ongoing or time-specific projects. In addition, numerous
Major infrastructure investments are most logically funded through corporate employees provide countless hours of volunteer service
the public sector. Federal funding has traditionally supported large- to community organizations, community initiatives, and community
scale improvements such as road improvements (U.S. Department of schools. Corporate versatility and generosity will be an essential
Transportation), brownfield remediation (U.S. Environmental Protec- element in the implementation of BGreen strategies. BGreen has
tion Agency), storm sewer separation (U.S. EPA), and building retrofits initiated discussions with several corporations regarding financing op-
(U.S. Department of Energy), to name a few. Connecticut state agen- tions related to specific community-wide programs. Direct corporate
cies have either acted in concert with federal agencies, or singularly donations and support from corporate foundations will be sought for
to support road repairs (Department of Transportation), stormwater single event and longer-term education and outreach programs in line
management (Department of Environmental Protection), school con- with each company’s community outreach goals. To the extent that
struction and renovation (Department of Education), and safe routes corporate foundations are interested and programmatically able, they
to school (CT DOT), among others. The City of Bridgeport has often will also be offered opportunities to support planning initiatives.
provided matching funds. BGreen will continue to seek financial sup-
port from the state and federal government. For those funding oppor- Leveraging resources
tunities that are available through specific funding cycles, BGreen will The sum of many parts can be larger than the whole. All efforts to
fine-tune a priorities list linked into these cycles, and will continue its secure support for the implementation of BGreen strategies will take
outreach effort for non-cyclical funding opportunities. into consideration possible ways to leverage funds with multiple
As well as funding a number of significant capital investments sources of support and innovative funding mechanisms.
and infrastructure needs, public agencies have also proven to be
strong financial partners of educational and programmatic initiatives.

The
Strategy
• Improve the energy efficiency of public and private
Green Energy sector facilities and residences, creating real dol-
lar savings and environmental benefits.
& Buildings • Lower energy costs through aggregation programs
and other bulk purchasing opportunities.
Bridgeport community-wide emissions by sector

RPA* Opportunities
Waste 1.2% Bridgeport has a unique opportunity to become a green energy leader
and to harness pending growth to create a more energy-efficient built
environment. Situated along the coast in a fairly sunny part of the
country, a substantial amount of solar, wind and lunar/tidal energy is
available to Bridgeport every day. Harnessing even a fraction of this
Residential energy through solar thermal installations, photovoltaic panels, wind-
Transportation 29.3% mills, and tidal plants can supply a commanding share of the city’s
33.3% energy needs. Additionally, the sanitary waste created by a concen-
trated urban population offers opportunities for energy extraction that
are less ecologically harmful than simply burning the sludge as is
Commercial done presently. Ramping up renewable generation without improving
Industrial 27.6% the efficiency of the building stock in the city first would lead to un-
8.6% necessary energy loss. The potential new development that will occur
in the city in coming decades offers a phenomenal opportunity to
Buildings infill the built environment with the most cutting-edge energy-efficient
designs. While the retrofitting of existing buildings poses undeniable
56.9% challenges, the stake of this task could provide for local business and
employment development for decades.
Challenges
Strategies
Nationally, energy used in buildings results in just less than one half
of our greenhouse gas emissions. In Bridgeport, energy use in our 1. Establish an Energy Improvement District
buildings make up just over one half of total emissions – the differ- The establishment of Energy Improvement Districts was recently
ence resulting from greater transit options than in a typical com- enabled by the State Legislature in 2007 and was followed by a local
munity. Electricity usage is the largest component of building energy act of the City Council in 2008. An Energy Improvement District will
use and greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of the city’s building enable Bridgeport to better manage its energy use and resources by
stock was built before the 1950’s, at a time when energy was cheap, consolidating energy planning for the municipality in one body that
conservation technologies were emergent, and global warming an un- has bonding authority and can coordinate programs for both genera-
known threat on the horizon. While electricity generation is regional, tion and demand management. The first step will be the installation
much of Bridgeport’s energy is created locally. Three power plants of an Energy Improvement District Board. The establishment of this
dominate Bridgeport’s skyline – one coal-fired, one natural-gas- Board will be followed by the formulation of an energy plan that will
fired, and the other waste-to-energy. Renewable power generation be drafted by the BGreen program management team to help direct
produces an insignificant share of the city’s electricity. priorities of the EID. The EID will have a unique ability to work with city
Given that anticipated growth for the city will constitute a small departments, the local energy distribution company, United Illuminat-
share of the building stock, a reduction in the net increase in energy ing, local and regional power generators, and large energy users to
demand and emissions from new residents and businesses alone reduce the city’s energy consumption and increase the local provision
will not be sufficient. New development will have to be at the cutting of renewable power, incrementally lowering the city’s carbon emis-
edge of energy efficiency and the city’s existing building stock will sions from the building and energy sectors.
have to be retrofitted substantially to reduce demand. The power gen-
eration mix supplying electricity to the city will have to be significantly 2. Create a Green Energy Park at the
supplemented by renewable sources. To create more while using less City’s closed landfill in Seaside Park
will require shifts in the way we use or conserve energy and in our Developing and using renewable energy will be critical elements in
energy sources. Achieving this will require nothing short of 100% Bridgeport’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The closed
participation on the part of our residents, businesses and industry. city landfill, for instance, can easily support a photovoltaic energy
park, and possibly a wind farm. Both would reduce the city’s depen-
Goals dence on fossil fuels. A green energy park in place of an abandoned
landfill would give drivers on I-95 a very different view of Bridgeport,
• Utilize sustainable energy practices and production as a and help to improve Bridgeport’s overall image. BGreen 2020 will
driver for economic development; generate significant sav- work with consultants to prepare a feasibility study that will deter-
ings for municipal facilities, businesses and residents; mine the optimal green energy development opportunities for this
and reduce the carbon footprint of the community. site. Once in hand, BGreen 2020 will work with the city and adjacent
private property owners to create a public/private partnership to
build a green energy park or seek out private sector renewable power
developers to build such a facility. By garnering support from private
* 2008 [2007 Sector - related emissions from The City of Bridgeport] Using Clean Air and
Climate Protection (CACP) software, developed by the National Association of Clean Air Agencies,
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, and Torrie Smith Associates, Inc.

partners, the local utility, and state and federal governments, this funds set aside by local utility companies, and state and federal
project can be a national demonstration of locally generated renew- grants. Performance contracts with national energy service compa-
able energy to help power a mid-sized American city. nies can help to complete the funding mix. Water efficiency retrofits
should be done at the same time.
3.Implement energy efficiency, biomass retrofit, and All retrofit efforts should be highlighted as educational tools to
resource sharing at wastewater treatment facilities the Bridgeport community. The Burroughs Library, for instance, will be
Bridgeport’s wastewater treatment facilities are the single largest the first municipal facility to undergo an extensive retrofit and energy
source of municipal carbon emissions and one of the largest energy upgrade. A BGreen Kiosk at the library will highlight, on a real-time
users in the city. A study currently underway is assessing the efficien- basis, the energy savings, renewable generation, water diversion and
cy of the water treatment facilities and operations in an effort to find other benefits from the retrofit. The upgrade is being funded by a
areas to reduce energy use. In conjunction with this effort, consul- significant allocation from the City’s Energy Improvement Block Grant
tants will assess opportunities for converting its municipal sludge to a ($800,000), with the remaining funding likely coming from the United
by-product that can produce energy instead of being trucked to New Illuminating Company’s Energy Conservation Fund and an energy
Haven for incineration. In addition, by virtue of being located near the performance contract.
RESCO waste-to energy plant, the West Side Sewage Treatment plant
may have opportunities for resource sharing. The waste-to-energy 5. Benchmark and retrofit educational facilities
plant currently inputs potable water for cooling and outputs signifi- Similar to Bridgeport’s municipal buildings, all Bridgeport schools are
cant amounts of excess heat. The adjacent sewage treatment plant undergoing energy review via the EPA Portfolio Manager system and
would require heat to convert sludge into an energy source and out- will be benchmarked in accordance with the Energy Star rating sys-
puts significant amounts of grey water. Utilizing each facilities’ output tem. To enable retrofits and resulting energy cost savings, the Board
as the input for the adjacent will save millions of gallons of potable of Education will need to include appropriate funding requests on an
water, reuse waste heat, save considerable amounts of money, and annual basis to both the State School Construction Authority and the
improve the environmental footprint of each facility. The City has set energy conservation program administered by United Illuminating. It
aside money in its Energy Improvement Block Grant allocation to do is recommended that two to three school buildings be completed per
a detailed study of this opportunity. It is recommended that such a year. Water efficiency retrofits should be done at the same time.
study be started as early as possible.
6. Create a residential weatherization
4. Benchmark, retrofit, and consolidate program and promote large residential
municipal facilities building energy efficiency efforts
The first step to reducing energy use and associated emissions is Residential buildings account for almost a third of Bridgeport’s car-
to know how the buildings currently perform. The City has already bon emissions. Bridgeport must develop weatherization and efficiency
started a thorough inventory of its energy use at all public facilities, programs (and funding strategies to support these programs) to help
using the EPA Portfolio Manager system, and will benchmark all facili- residents reduce energy use and energy costs in their homes. Energy
ties within the Energy Star rating system. Using the ratings as a guide, audits are the first step in identifying how weatherization can reduce
Bridgeport will prioritize building retrofits and building consolidation, future energy use. The Mayor’s Conservation Corps door-to-door
using a variety of financial strategies including Energy Conservation campaign has already identified nearly 1,500 households interested
Green Zone Map

RPA
Waste-to-Energy
Facility
Water Pollution
Control Authority
Former landfill
Future green zone

in a home energy audit program; many of those audits are now being
conducted. Outreach should be continued to garner even greater Building Weatherization
participation.
The funding of weatherization projects is a known barrier to their and Retrofits Pay
undertaking. While many low-income households qualify for federal
weatherization support and are being well served by the ongoing Babylon, New York
efforts of Action for Bridgeport Community Development, Inc. (ABCD),
Babylon’s Long Island Green Homes program encourages
many moderate income households do not qualify for such assis-
Babylon’s residents to reduce their homes’ energy use, and has
tance. BGreen has developed a pilot low-interest loan weatherization
set up a revolving loan that provides the funding to help pay
program with financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy
for the up-front costs. Residences undergo energy audits and
through the Energy Efficiency Block Grant program. The program will
homeowners choose from a menu of weatherization and retrofit
enable moderate-income households to make needed weatheriza-
projects. The upfront costs of the retrofits are not paid for by the
tion improvements, reduce energy use, and allow homeowners to add
homeowner, but by the revolving loan fund. Homeowners pay back
renewable energy units to their homes. Working together with United
the loan over the next several years through a benefit assessment
Illuminating, the Electric and Gas Industries Association and GE Capi-
tax, which is set to be lower than the energy savings that result
tal, $3 million in weatherization and renewable loan monies will be
from the upgrade. Critical to the program, the assessment stays
available to Bridgeport residents in the coming year. To jumpstart this
with the home if the owner sells. Early program operations are
effort, BGreen, together with its partners, will conduct a home energy
showing average up-front improvement costs of $7,132 and
makeover contest that will include home appliance upgrades, lighting
average annual savings of $985. The average payback period is
upgrades, mechanical upgrades and other weatherization efforts to
less than 8 years and the Savings to Investment ratio is 2.25.
make some Bridgeport homes much more energy efficient. The home
energy contest is intended to engage all households in the drive to
reduce energy use at home and to educate all households on the
many ways in which savings can be achieved. Details of the contest plications and water conservation measures such as low-flow fixtures
and a community wide announcement will be made in mid 2010. The and green roofs. The City should also establish guidelines for outdoor
City, in partnership with the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, amenities including street trees and other landscaping measures that
United Illuminating and a number of financial institutions, has also can retain stormwater and reduce the urban heat island effect.
submitted an additional proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy As building envelopes are made more secure, the improvement of
to expand this pilot program to include thousands of single-family indoor air quality through the reduction of volatile organic chemi-
residences, small businesses, and large commercial and residential cals should be an additional focus. There are numerous examples
buildings. of such local standards around the country. It is recommended that
The Bridgeport Housing Authority is currently implementing com- a working group be established to identify the best practices being
prehensive weatherization, energy and water efficiency measures at employed by other municipalities around the country and develop a
2,500 of its units. This approach to weatherizing multi-tenant build- set of standards that are mandated for public buildings, and provide
ings is to be commended and replicated. BGreen 2020 and United meaningful incentives for private sector compliance. The City should
Illuminating are working together to identify other multistory, privately consider supporting the establishment of these guidelines and incen-
owned residential buildings, conduct audits of these facilities, and tives with educational programs that inform various entities, including
assist owners to develop and fund retrofit opportunities, drawing all municipal departments, the development community, and the
upon the BHA action as an educational and logistical model. general public of the impact and importance of these green building
guidelines. These green guidelines should also be incorporated into
7. Promote energy audits and energy efficiency the City’s RFP process.
programs in commercial/industrial sectors
Energy reduction must occur in all sectors, including commercial and 9. Promote site development of solar
industrial. Energy audits and energy efficiency programs in these two and solar leasing programs
sectors will be promoted through forums presenting best practices Although site development of solar and solar leasing programs pres-
and case studies of completed projects, and in detailing efficiency ent economic barriers on many Bridgeport sites, steps can be taken
program logistics, opportunities for cost savings, and financial to identify city-owned properties and aggregate public and private
strategies which can be used to support energy efficiency projects. rooftop space to promote the development of more solar thermal and
As mentioned above, the City, in partnership with the Bridgeport Re- photovoltaic opportunities in the city. It is recommended that the new
gional Business Council, United Illuminating, and a number of lending Energy Improvement District Board be tasked with developing a plan
institutions, has put together a significant federal grant application to to identify sites and bring together interested commercial property
provide low-interest loans to this group of energy users to help them owners to help stimulate the solar marketplace in Bridgeport.
modernize their energy systems and create energy efficiency savings
throughout their buildings. Additionally, the BRBC and UI are working
closely with St. Vincent’s Medical Center to examine ways to create
energy efficiencies in the hospital environment and to encourage
other sustainability practices.
8. Develop Green Building standards and

promote healthy indoor environments
Bridgeport is expecting to see significant redevelopment in the next
several years. In order to guide this development in the most energy
efficient manner, the City must establish its own Green Building
standards and green building incentives to promote energy-efficient
structures, fixtures and appliances, including renewable energy ap-

Greenfields & in the effort to extract value solely from its land base. What’s more,
one third of parcels within the city are tax-exempt properties owned
Green Wheels by institutions and nonprofits or government agencies. It is imperative

that Bridgeport convert its stock of vacant and underutilized sites into
viable, green developments that meet community-housing and local-
business needs, reduce blight, and help replenish City tax rolls.
Bridgeport community-wide emissions by sector More than 500 million miles are driven within Bridgeport city lim-
RPA* its every year (Connecticut Department of Transportation). Fortunately,
Bridgeport is better positioned than most cities to shift many of those
Transportation trips to non-car alternatives. It has a walkable grid with small blocks,
33.3% Waste 1.2% a robust sidewalk network, and a transit system that links it to all sur-
rounding towns and job and housing centers along the coastline and
to New York City. While the framework exists, the dominance of the
automobile on city streets will require significant alterations to truly
incorporate bikes and pedestrians into the transportation system, to
Residential ensure the safety of bicyclists, bus passengers and pedestrians, and
Transportation 29.3% to put buses on an even playing field with the car. Changes are also
33.3% needed to facilitate improved access to central train and bus stops.
Much recent commercial development in Bridgeport has been
located along north-south arterials and Route 1, in automobile domi-
Commercial nated landscapes. Though some new residential development has
Industrial 27.6% taken place downtown and in walkable neighborhoods over the past
8.6% decade, the majority of growth in the city over the past 30 years has
been far away from the transit network as well. While ensuring that
new development is more transit-oriented and pedestrian-oriented
than it has been in the past will enable new residents and employees
One-third of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the to find alternatives to their automobiles, investments in transit and
transportation sector, compared to 28% nationally. Greater Bridge- pedestrian and bike improvements will be essential to enable chang-
port’s traditional employment centers, in downtown Bridgeport and ing behavior in existing neighborhoods and commercial zones. New
adjacent industrial areas – at the heart of the transit network along sidewalks and increased bus service require capital and operating
walkable streets – have largely been abandoned, and jobs have dollars that are not easy to come by locally. Finding revenue sources
migrated to surrounding towns along automobile oriented corridors. to enhance transit service, transit access and walkability will be a
The result has been that two-thirds of Bridgeport’s residents now drive challenge in the coming years.
alone to work (2000 Census), which negatively impacts our air qual-
ity. The confluence of I-95 and the Route 8/25 Connector in the city’s Commute shed of Bridgeport employees
heart bring nearly 200,000 vehicles through Bridgeport, which also Census Transportation Planning Package 2000 and RPA
contribute to the city’s emissions; clearly, regional development pat-
terns are important to the sustainability of the city. New development
must be directed toward the city’s downtown and other locations
within walking distance of frequent transit service, and existing neigh-
borhoods need enhanced and attractive transportation alternatives
to the automobile. The city’s many brownfields, underdeveloped and
vacant parcels provide opportunities for sustainable redevelopment
that are public-transit accessible and pedestrian-friendly, and are
capable of supporting mixed-use communities that meet the housing
and employment needs of a diverse population without exacerbating
local congestion or transportation emissions.
Challenges
More than 11% of land in the city currently lies vacant (Bridgeport
2020) and hundreds of additional acres are underutilized – they
could support a much higher level of use based on their transit and
waterfront access. These gaps in the urban fabric form blight in our
neighborhoods and detract from the city’s image. Some underused
sites have fostered criminal activity, and most, if not all, vacant and/ Residential location of
or underutilized sites degrade the property values of neighboring 10 Bridgeport employees
sites. In a state as dependent on property taxes as Connecticut for
local revenue, these gaps in the city’s tax base take on an additional
importance. As one of the nation’s smallest cities in geographic size,
at only 16.5 square miles, Bridgeport is at an inherent disadvantage
* 2008 [2007 Sector - related emissions from The City of Bridgeport] Using Clean Air and
Climate Protection (CACP) software, developed by the National Association of Clean Air Agencies,
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, and Torrie Smith Associates, Inc.

Goals Bridgeport and Stratford are the only municipalities in Fairfield
County on the New Haven line with only a single Metro North Station.
• Reduce automobile trips, vehicle miles trav- There exists the opportunity for an additional rail station in the East
eled, and the city’s transportation emissions. End that will unlock the potential of large swaths of developable land
directly adjacent to the transit system.
• Facilitate the redevelopment of underutilized sites through-
The densities, street pattern, and neighborhood scale of Bridge-
out the city, transitioning blighted properties into neigh-
port make non-motorized transportation a natural fit. We need only
borhood amenities that support the city’s tax rolls.
look east to New Haven to envision how bike and walk commutes
• Provide city residents, workers and visitors with a wide can command a significant share of all work trips. More than 6,700
range of mobility options that are less carbon intensive. Bridgeport residents live within one mile of their workplace, creating
substantial potential for making walking and bicycling the transporta-
Opportunities tion modes of choice (Census Transportation Planning Package). The
city is relatively flat and crisscrossed with low traffic volume residen-
Bridgeport benefits from two phenomenal assets unparalleled in the tial streets that can be transformed into more “complete streets” that
state or region: a robust public transit system and a considerable include wide sidewalks and bike lanes alongside the automobile
amount of vacant or underused land within close proximity to that travel and parking lanes.
transit. Trends in energy prices and a desire to reduce our emissions
and oil imports are partially supporting a shift towards public transit. Strategies – Land Use
Smaller household sizes and high housing costs in Lower Fairfield
County are creating significant demand for housing alternatives to 1. Rezone for livable, transit-oriented
ones based on automobile travel. Existing housing in Bridgeport offers neighborhoods and redevelopment
many people the only opportunity for affordable housing. Available The city’s recent Plan of Conservation and Development and Down-
land and historic buildings within walking distance of transit can be town Master Plan outline the policy framework for reclaiming the
retrofitted to provide additional housing and business opportunities city’s transit-oriented and thriving core with transit corridors radiating
within welcoming neighborhoods. Access to commuter rail service will out into vibrant neighborhoods. Like most cities in the latter half of
enable Bridgeport to capitalize on the regional housing market in the the 20th century, Bridgeport overlaid a suburban zoning scheme on
short term and lay the foundation for high quality employment growth top of the urban fabric, enabling automobile-centered commercial
in the future. strips and larger lot housing to ring the traditional neighborhoods
Bridgeport’s infrastructure once supported 25,000 more and mixed-use centers. New zoning has been adopted that would
residents than today and significantly more industry alongside – a bring the emphasis back to mixed use and transit-oriented develop-
clear opportunity for expansion of both. Through rezoning, infill, and ment with location-appropriate parking requirements and design
redevelopment, Bridgeport can easily build upon the existing city grid controls that intensify development in the right locations, encourage
to provide combined live/work opportunities with less direct and indi- high quality green development and preserve existing neighborhoods.
rect environmental impact than new homes and businesses in open The adoption of this zoning was essential to putting the regulatory
space/undeveloped areas. Locating new housing close to jobs and controls in place so that development that capitalizes on the next
amenities – or even in the same building – will also put less stress economic cycle incrementally creates a city that once again recog-
on the local transportation system. There are many existing entertain- nizes the intrinsic values of a strong urban environment.
ment, cultural, and educational attractions including the arena and
ballpark at Harbor Yard, The Beardsley Zoo, the Barnum Museum, 2. Develop GIS into a more
Playhouse on the Green, Klein Auditorium, Downtown Cabaret Theater, comprehensive planning tool
Housatonic Community College, University of Bridgeport and Seaside Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a technology that combines
Park, that will complement residential and commercial growth to cre- the vast array of data and information available to the city and links
ate complete and vibrant communities. that information spatially for decision-making purposes. All land
Bridgeport‘s regional rail service links the city to all major development opportunities and constraints should be linked to each
centers along the east coast, including Manhattan in just over one parcel to facilitate redevelopment to the highest and best use based
hour. Our bus system serves surrounding neighborhoods and towns. on neighborhood needs. By optimizing GIS capability, every interested
Unfortunately, only 8% of city residents take transit to their job - just party and municipal planning department will be able to make the
5% of city workers do so; (Census Transportation Planning Package most informed decisions regarding a particular site’s potential and
2000). The University of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport Public Library drawbacks as relates to a myriad of uses, including development and
take advantage of Greater Bridgeport Transit’s Universal Transit Pass development costs, flood control and green spaces use within the
Program which has demonstrated that a concerted and coordinated larger neighborhood and city context. BGreen will assist the city in
effort to make transit easier and more attractive can significantly developing Bridgeport’s GIS system into a comprehensive planning
increase transit ridership. This program could be replicated with other tool with expanded information links, near real-time updating, and
large institutions and employers across the city with similar effect. optimized data accessibility.
Bridgeport’s bus system can also be expanded. Increased frequency,
later service at night to accommodate second shift employees and 3. Conduct municipal property planning to identify
additional east-west cross-town service would go a long way to opportunities for consolidation and real estate sale
increase the convenience of transit. New commuter connections Municipal departments and offices are spread across the city in
providing direct links between train stations and employment nodes many buildings and on many sites that could be better utilized by
north of Bridgeport will make rail service more useful to commuters the private sector to house residents and local businesses. Many of
and can reduce the amount of cars using I-95 and the 8/25 Connec- these buildings are inefficient and could be better maintained and
tor through the center of Bridgeport. upgraded by the private sector. BGreen will support the city’s efforts
to assess the highest and best use of each building and site and
determine whether energy efficiency strategies are best carried out by
the city to maintain properties or are better shifted to the private sec-

tor (see the green buildings section). A consolidated municipal facility New Residential with Geothermal
could house city departments in a centralized location that is transit at Citytrust Downtown
accessible, energy efficient, and conducive to effective governance. RPA
4. Create vision plans for remediation and

redevelopment of underutilized districts
One of the barriers to redevelopment in some city districts with large
agglomerations of vacant and underutilized land is the lack of a clear
and coherent vision for the area. The Neighborhood Revitalization
Zone planning process and the Downtown Master Plan Process result-
ed in neighborhood frameworks for redevelopment, which identified
several districts for revitalization where concentrations of potential
exist. BGreen will work with the Bridgeport Office of Planning and De-
velopment, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community
Development, and large property owners to chart a clear course for
these districts that integrates sustainable transportation and land use
decisions to spur investment and redevelopment.
5. Encourage the development of a life-cycle employment are often influenced by a region’s perceived livability,
housing ladder to enable residents to remain initiatives that support Bridgeport’s “neighborhoods of choice” will
in the city as housing needs evolve also help the city to attract new employers to its business core.
Bridgeport already has a diverse housing stock composed of 25%
single-family homes, over 40% two- to four-unit homes, and the re-
mainder of units in multifamily buildings. Unlike many other commu- 7. Create neighborhoods of choice with
nities in the region, Bridgeport is already well poised to meet future historical, cultural and educational amenities
local and regional housing needs, which will see a large increase in “Neighborhoods of Choice” is an umbrella initiative that aims to
the number of elderly households and smaller increases in younger increase cultural, educational and service opportunities in Bridgeport,
households, particularly by individuals living alone. Affordability of and connect them with existing and potential residents. Several dis-
housing units is a concern, especially for new construction. Housing tricts in Bridgeport enjoy historic fabric and arts amenities, including
policy in Bridgeport should continue to support the construction of downtown, Clarence Stein’s Seaside Village, and 23 other historic dis-
a diverse mix of housing types and levels of affordability, so that a tricts, each of which have a unique character and amenities. BGreen
young adult may move from his family home in Bridgeport into his proposes to create a plan to strengthen, clarify and unify historic
first small apartment, later upgrade to a larger rental, condominium, district controls for coordinated, long-term protection, and to promote
or house to raise children, and once an empty nester, have attrac- appropriate re-investment in these districts.
tive choices for low-maintenance housing near shops and services. The Bridgeport Arts and Cultural Council is a developing organiza-
BGreen housing ladder initiatives include creating an inclusionary tion with new funding from local foundations, the city, and the State
housing overlay to incentivize the construction of additional afford- Commission on Culture and Tourism to inventory existing arts & en-
able housing units, establishing a community land trust to sponsor tertainment resources and market them to the community and region.
affordable housing development and work toward affordable housing Arts amenities in Bridgeport are clustered in the downtown and Black
goals set forth in Bridgeport 2020, and supporting new zoning to en- Rock neighborhoods, but organizations and venues elsewhere in the
able diverse housing types. city could also contribute to Bridgeport’s reputation as a regional arts
center with more effective marketing. Bridgeport’s post-secondary
6. Encourage Class A office opportunities educational opportunities – especially programs available at Housa-
Bridgeport’s location on the New Haven Metro-North line makes it a tonic Community College – will also be supported and publicized as
prime location for businesses seeking to attract skilled employees a resource for Bridgeport residents. An Educational Task Force will
living in southwestern Connecticut, the Lower Hudson Valley and New coordinate the development and marketing of adult educational op-
York City. Stamford’s location closer to Manhattan and its progres- portunities at HCC and other institutions.
sive development policies have successfully attracted major financial Already, SELF magazine has listed Greater Bridgeport as one of
services employer to its downtown, but Bridgeport can also offer its top 10 locations for women to live based in part on the direction
employers a higher level of affordability for support staff along with that BGreen is charting for the city.
connectivity to other employment centers. The expansion of Class A
office space supports the BGreen Initiative in two major ways. First,
concentrating employment near the train station and along transit-
served corridors supports BGreen’s transit-first policy to provide rider-
ship for transit services and also increases demand for housing along
transit corridors. Second, additional Class A office space provides
tax revenue to the City of Bridgeport that supports better provision
of services and capital investments in walkable streets, parks and
infrastructure, while minimizing additional traffic and other service
needs. Attracting Class A office development to Bridgeport will require
national marketing and coordination with other municipalities in the
region. To spur the expansion of office employment in Bridgeport, the
City and its partners must market Bridgeport as a Model Green City
in which to live and work. Recognizing that personal decisions about

Strategies – Transportation 4. Work with large employers to
reduce the need to drive
Large employers have the potential to achieve significant reductions
in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) among their employees, by adopt-
ing supportive commute policies. BGreen will work with the Greater
Bridgeport Transit Authority and large job centers to identify workable
strategies, programs and incentives, such as “eco passes,” shared
cars on-site and van shuttle services, to reduce the use of single
occupancy vehicles and the resultant road congestion and emissions.
BGreen will host a transportation summit in 2010 that will allow large
employers to share experiences and develop strategies to reduce
single-occupant commutes, and will identify business leaders to
spearhead ongoing alternative transportation programs. A similar ef-
fort will be pursued with the developers of dense residential projects.
A GBTA bus making a route

Flickr: wally_wabbit
Smart Travel Pays

1. Enact a Transit First policy
A Transit First policy will establish public transit, walking and biking as Portland, Oregon
priority policies for the city as we work to balance the transportation
In 2005, Portland’s Transportation Options Division took aim at
system away from dominance by the automobile. Incremental invest-
reducing car trips through direct outreach to over 20,000 households
ments will encourage mode shift from single occupancy automobiles
(later expanded to over 44,000 households) through an innovative
to walking, bicycling, and public transit. BGreen will work to obtain
TravelSmart Hub Project. In partnership with health care providers
resources to acquire additional buses, expand the bus-maintenance
Kaiser Permanente and Providence Portland Medical Center, the City
facility, and operate those services. Bridgeport’s Transit First policy
pursued direct mail, individualized marketing and hands-on clinics
will be complemented by Complete Streets (See #4 below) and new
and workshops to encourage and help residents to walk, bike, take
zoning regulations that reduce parking requirements and require
transit and carpool more often. TravelSmart reduced drive-alone
that new development be designed for easy use by transit users,
or solo car trips by 9%, increased bicycling by 23%, increased
bicyclists and pedestrians. Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority will
transit use by 41% and walking by 7%. The 9% reduction in solo
review project-development proposals and ensure that bus access is
automobile trips translated into more than 24 million miles not driven
enhanced and not hindered by site plans or street designs.
every year, saving over 700,000 gallons of gas, 13 million pounds
of greenhouse gases, and providing cost- and health-savings to
2. Assess transportation demand to consumers. Project cost was $500,000, or $0.02 per vehicle-mile-
prioritize infrastructure investment
traveled reduced. Sponsorships and grants helped defray costs.
BGreen will work with Greater Bridgeport and Valley Metropolitan
Planning Organization to analyze existing travel data, determine
transportation demand throughout the city, and develop a more
complete picture of potential transit service routes. This information Bike to the ballpark
will be used to prioritize bus and train infrastructure improvements
and develop a funding strategy for both capital improvements and The Chicago Cubs baseball team aggressively promotes biking
operating costs. BGreen partners including the transit agency and re- to the ballpark and offers free bicycle checks. In 2007, they
gional planning agency will develop a comprehensive Alternate Transit parked more than 9,400 bikes at Wrigley Field (Radick 2008).
Strategy that accommodates expected demands and heightens the
potential for reduced automobile use.
BRBC Fitness Challenge
3. Construct a train station in the East Side
A new Metro North Railroad station on the border between the East In Fall 2008, The Bridgeport Regional Business Council launched
Side and the East End would catalyze sustainable revitalization of a a campaign to get its members moving for the sake of better
large industrial district and several livable neighborhoods. Located at health. BRBC invited its member companies to participate in
the head of Yellow Mill Pond, over 30 acres of developable land within a 90-day fitness challenge, aimed at encouraging employees
1/4 mile of this station presents a unique opportunity for transit- to walk at least 10,000 steps each day. With financial support
oriented development along the Northeast Corridor. Approximately from United Health Care, participating employees received
an additional 100 acres lies within 3/4 mile and another 400 acres pedometers to count their daily steps. Team captains tracked their
at Remington Woods within 1 mile. The station would serve nearly teams’ progress with weekly reports. At the end of the challenge,
10,000 people already living within walking distance and the 2,500 companies reported their successes, and the winning companies
jobs at Bridgeport Hospital just blocks away. Designed in coordination were presented with the BRBC’s first annual “Healthy Business
with a new Seaview Avenue boulevard and the principles of walk- Awards.” Winners were chosen from participating companies
ability and affordability, this station can anchor the next generation of based on their rate of employee participation and the average
sustainable prosperity for the eastern half of the city. number of steps walked per person. This program provided a fun
opportunity for employees to improve their health and, in turn,
reduce health care costs for companies and individuals alike.

5. Make Bridgeport’s roadways “Complete Streets” with city departments and the Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning
Reducing driving while enhancing overall mobility for residents and Agency to complete a Pedestrian Infrastructure Improvement Master
employees will require increasing walking, cycling and transit use, and Plan that will identify top priorities as well as long-term project plans
rethinking the role that public streets play in enabling mobility. The incorporating Safe Routes to School partners, projects and funding.
space between building facades is the largest public space controlled BGreen will partner with the city, local businesses and institutions to
by any municipality, and typically 80% of that space is dedicated to encourage walking.
the flow and storage of automobiles. A “complete streets” policy for
Bridgeport will require that public infrastructure be constructed with
the needs of all users in mind, not just drivers. A complete street Bike Rack At The Intermodal Facility Is
Designed To Look Like A Bluefish
provides access to bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders and drivers, RPA
through appropriate design. On low-traffic side streets, a complete
street may consist of sidewalks and shared roadway for bikes and
cars. In higher-traffic areas, separated bike lanes and bus pull-outs
may be possible. Developing “complete streets” with bicycle and
pedestrian opportunities, along with automobile lanes, and promot-
ing public transit incentive programs will put Bridgeport’s Transit First
policy into motion. BGreen will establish a steering committee work-
ing with necessary city departments to develop the specific policy
appropriate for Bridgeport and guide its municipal implementation.
7. Promote bicycling and develop bicycle infrastructure

Expanded bicycle infrastructure will allow more people to bike to work
and other destinations in Bridgeport. Bike trips currently constitute
only 0.2% of all trips to work. BGreen will develop a broad coalition to
conduct a Master Plan for Bicycling, work with the Greater Bridgeport
Regional Planning Agency to develop regional bikeway connections,
and establish annual goals for the expansion of bike infrastructure in
the city. Bike facilities will be slowly improved, by striping bike lanes
Photo-simulation of complete street in key locations, installing bike racks near employment and parks,
redesign in South End: BEFORE and striping routes to schools. Bicycle needs will also be addressed
through Complete Streets policies which accommodate all users.
8. Establish Mobility Authority

Revenues from Bridgeport’s public parking facilities currently go into
the general fund. A new Mobility Authority would use these revenues
to more efficiently utilize existing parking resources and mitigate
the need for the construction of additional parking. This would be
achieved by investing parking revenue into a combination of strate-
gies that balance out the transportation system. Downtown, revenue
might be used to cover or light the top level of garages to improve
safety and utilization, enhance pedestrian connections to garages
farther from destinations to enable “parking once” for multiple down-
town destinations, and potentially pay for a transit circulator to the
same ends. BGreen will support the Downtown Task Force in its effort
to establish this entity.
Photo-simulation of complete street
redesign in South End: AFTER
9. Reduce emissions through anti-idling and
fuel standard regulations and education
6. Promote walking and develop This strategy aims to reduce emissions through changes in city policy
pedestrian infrastructure and operation of existing infrastructure. First, the city can replace,
Walking is the most accessible mode of transportation. It’s free, retrofit, or re-fuel its own municipal fleet with cleaner vehicles, and
it’s available to children, adults and the elderly, and it has positive consider fuel use by subcontractors providing city services. BGreen
health benefits. Unfortunately, walking is often impeded by poor partners, including the City, Green Wheels Working Group, DEP, and
street design, and public investments are necessary to provide safe private contractors can also support development of alternative fuel
sidewalks in complete systems linking residential neighborhoods infrastructure in Bridgeport such as natural gas fueling or electric
with commercial areas. Less than 4% of work trips in Bridgeport are charging stations. Lastly, city policies can incentivize the purchase
done by walking, despite the fact that 12% of the population lives and operation of fuel-efficient private vehicles, through reduced sales
within one mile of work. Even before a “complete streets” policy is or property tax rates or preferential parking privileges.
implemented, Bridgeport’s existing sidewalks and crosswalks must be
inventoried to identify priority improvement areas. BGreen will partner

14
5
30
1
16
23
36
Access to 20
35
Parkland
Within
2 15
the City 6
8
4
37
Bridgeport Parks Depart- 19
ment, US Census, RPA 22
24
33 10 12 7 38 18
3
25
27
17
26
39
40
29
41
11 28
21
13
32 Parcels Park Need
31 within a 1/3-mile walk of a park 0 – 20
Bridgeport Parks 20 – 40
40 – 50
within a 1/3-mile walk of a school
60 – 80
Bridgeport Public Schools 80 – 100
*Park need is a composite index of income, race/ethnicity, age,

9 residential density, and auto ownership, based on census data.

Strategies
Green Spaces 1. Support and expand organizational capacity
to manage, develop, and enhance green spaces
Challenges for natural habitat, recreation, gardening
and outdoor education opportunities.
Despite its moniker as the “Park City,” Bridgeport falls short of offering BGreen recommends the establishment of a Conservation Commis-
many residents and workers access to high quality parks or an urban sion, a group of expert individuals and organizations that understand
forest on par with that which once graced the city and drew great Bridgeport’s green space needs and will advance initiatives related
acclaim. While two large parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted to the expansion of parks, community gardens, and green landscap-
are well enough maintained, they are not the regional destinations ing, as well as the protection of its natural land and water resources,
that they can be. A number of Bridgeport’s smaller parks support including inland wetlands and watercourses. The Commission will act
well-used active recreational facilities, but some are in disrepair and in an advisory role to guide policies for green spaces management,
there are few opportunities for passive recreation in the park system preservation of habitats, including inland wetlands and watercourses
as a whole. There are currently 6.8 acres of open space per 1000 and coastal area resources. The Commission will also help to develop
residents in the city, far less than the regional average of 8.5 for policies related to private and -public infrastructure such as rain
comparable cities. Approximately 12% of the population does not live gardens, bioswales, green roofs and porous pavements, which are
within a 10-minute walk of any open space. The existing parks are not closely tied to the city’s green spaces, water- and other natural
linked to one another in a comprehensive system and park resources resources. BGreen will also work with existing nonprofit environmental
are lacking entirely in several of the most underserved neighborhoods groups, community organizations and relevant businesses to establish
of the city. While one of the city’s greatest assets is its coastal loca- an independent community voice, or “Friends of Parks,” to advocate
tion, only approximately four of its 22 miles of coastline are currently for green space initiatives, green space protection, adequate equip-
publicly accessible. Much of the vacant land that could potentially be ment and manpower for green space maintenance and enhancement.
turned into new parkland is also under pressure to be redeveloped; To further support this strategy of building organizational capacity,
besides, contamination may limit any economical reuse. BGreen also sees significant benefit in establishing formal long-term
While Bridgeport’s narrow streets were once lined by great trees, relationships with nonprofit organizations that can engage the City’s
current parking demands and larger cars have limited the number of youth in citywide care and restoration of assigned open space areas
trees within the public right-of-way. Similarly, many trees on private and simultaneously advance the goals of resource protection, job
property have been eliminated to make room for car storage. Bridge- training and outdoor education, among other things.
port residents need equitable access to green space and a strong
voice to promote its creation and protection for recreational, biologi-
SEASIDE PARK
cal, educational and other benefit. RPA
Goal
• Ensure the city’s residents have access to abun-

dant, high quality, interconnected open spaces that
foster community cohesion and stewardship.
Opportunities
The two Olmsted-designed parks – Beardsley and Seaside – are

significant assets that can reclaim their regional stature with limited
investment and programming. Only a few additional miles of coastline
in targeted locations need to be made accessible to bring the city’s
waterfront assets within reach of many of the city’s neighborhoods.
The city’s overall green space system can be effectively expanded by
judiciously assessing the city’s vacant and underdeveloped parcels
to create pocket-parks in the most underserved areas of the city. The
city’s existing boulevards, boosted by new “complete streets” policies
that utilize robust tree and landscaping programs, can stitch all these
aspects together into a network that permeates the entire city and
integrates nature, greenery, biodiversity and clean air into even the 2. Develop a Green Spaces Master Plan
most densely developed neighborhoods. In short, Bridgeport has A Green Spaces Master Plan will provide the necessary framework
unmatched opportunity to develop a world-class park system once to direct green space development and natural resource protection
again. This network of green space will serve the city’s needs for rec- throughout the city. It must take into account the needs of under-
reation, water management and flood control, natural resource and served communities and populations, and aim to provide gardens
natural habitat protection, crop cultivation, climate control, reduced and urban farms for food and recreation, supplement current passive
greenhouse gas emissions and aesthetic amenity. While dedicating and active recreational opportunities, meet special recreational
sites to be parks removes these properties from tax rolls, green space needs, such as a dog park or special-access parks, provide waterfront
development adds significantly to surrounding property values and access, expand the street tree program and urban forest, provide
creates communities of lasting value. for linkages between green spaces, and at the same time protect
the integrity of Bridgeport’s natural resources and natural systems
through updated coastal area management zone and inland wetlands
and watercourses plans. Opportunities for green space development

must be reviewed in the context of other planning issues including
potential for stormwater management and flood control. A newly Adding “green” to green spaces
established Conservation Commission could work with the Parks
Department, the Department of Planning and Economic Development “Today communities usually don’t ask whether parks and open
and local nonprofits to identify Bridgeport’s green space needs and space benefit economies, they ask how large those economic
develop a master plan for the maintenance, upgrade, development benefits might be. They are coming to realize that all of the
and protection of city green spaces and natural resources. Priorities other benefits brought by parks and open space – improved
established in the Green Spaces Master Plan will enable the city to recreation and health, cleaner water and air, easier access to
strategically invest in parks in a way that creates the most benefit for the out of doors, even stronger communities – also can engender
environmental functions and community needs economic benefits in the form of increased tax receipts, stronger
economies, a better ability to attract businesses and residents,
3. Increase waterfront access opportunities and reduced costs for environmental services.” (Geis 2009)
The city’s 22 miles of coastline are one of its greatest assets, and
yet it is mostly inaccessible to Bridgeport residents. BGreen will work
with the city in the coming year to prioritize waterfront access as a
component of new development and in existing neighborhoods. As Bridgeport Tree City logo
part of the city’s strategy to increase waterfront access, attention Bridgeport Parks Department
will also be paid to types of use anticipated from access – whether
swimming, boating and/or fishing– and also developing programs to
enable residents to use their water resources safely.
4. Expand street tree and urban forest programs

Street trees add green to Bridgeport’s streets, making them more
attractive and pleasant to pedestrians and cyclists. They improve air
quality, reduce stormwater runoff, reduce the heat island effect and
reduce summer building heat and related energy demand for air
conditioner use. City policies and programs can expand Bridgeport’s
stock of street trees and help develop a strong urban forest. BGreen
recommends that the proposed Green Spaces Master Plan include a
plan for street trees and urban forest. It is further recommended that
the city continue its ongoing planting program, establish guidelines
for street tree planting in private development, educate city residents
on the benefits of street trees, and further expand the City’s Adopt-a-
Tree program. Complete Streets and Transit First policies will further
support the expansion of Bridgeport’s street tree inventory and the
greening of city streets for environmental and community benefits.
Developing a nonprofit-run tree nursery on city property for low-cost
tree stock that can be purchased by the city, or by businesses or
individuals, can support tree planting efforts.
5. Provide access for all neighborhoods to

community gardens and urban farms
Community gardens provide valuable green space in dense neighbor-
hoods, and they often become neighborhood centers in themselves.
A network of community gardens in Bridgeport could also provide a
source of inexpensive, nutritional foods. Over time, it is hoped that a
community-garden and urban-farm system can be connected with
farmers markets, schools and workforce training programs. Bridgeport
should establish a clear vision for an integrated community-garden
and urban-farm program.
6. Provide green space linkages

Connecting our green spaces will bring greater visibility to the city’s
park and green space system and enable greater recreational op-
portunities. In certain cases, linkages will help foster natural resource
protection as well.

Water Resources uses such as landscape irrigation or car washes – represent savings
in water treatment costs and energy, water supply costs and pollution
impacts. Non-point source solutions and low-impact development
options ranging from green roofs to bioswales to rain barrels offer
The city’s wastewater treatment facilities are not always capable of opportunities for managing stormwater at much lower cost than total
handling rainwater in addition to greywater; stormwater manage- sewer separation and with less negative impact on the environment.
ment and system separation are essential to limit CSO events. Compared to large scale separation, passive stormwater management
Bridgeport WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY methods would enable greater on-site retention, detention and infil-
tration at lower cost and with greater ecological co-benefits. Bridge-
port’s vacant lands could become the site of swales and rain gardens
Average flow 29.5 million gallons
for site-specific water management. Furthermore, the significant
number of underdeveloped sites provides tremendous opportunity
System design capacity 40 million gallons for water management and water conservation as buildings on these
redeveloped sites will need to be retrofitted or replaced and can
incorporate efficient, low-flow fixtures to reduce water demand and
reduce waste water subsequently flowing to our treatment facilities.
Finally, Bridgeport’s new “Complete Streets” policy can be bolstered
with stormwater management strategies to create “blue streets” that
are community-enhancing and ecologically beneficial.
Water from 1” of rainfall
300 million gallons Strategies
1. Conduct water resources education

and stewardship programs
Education is the first step toward water resources protection. Cam-
paigns that raise awareness about the impact that linking gutters
to storm drains can have on combined sewer overflow or the cost
savings associated with low flow faucets can have dramatic impact
Challenges as has been evidenced by recent campaigns to educate the popula-
tion on the link between dumping in storm drains and the health of
Nearly 86% of Bridgeport’s land area is covered with impermeable Long Island Sound. Residents must be alerted to the impact they
surfaces – for the most part, pavement. Bridgeport’s existing com- have on our water resources, and this will be accomplished in part
bined sanitary and storm sewer system put waterways and natural through door-to-door canvassing by our Conservation Corps and in
resources in Long Island Sound at environmental risk during every part through a campaign to mark BGreen logos on many of the City’s
heavy rain event, when system capacity simply cannot meet demand, storm drains that lead directly to Long Island Sound. Additional water
and stormwater flows unabated into our outdoor water resources. Wa- education, related to both water conservation and resource protec-
ter quality in Bridgeport’s coastal area is relatively poor as classified tion, will be introduced in the school system, expanding upon existing
by Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection – SC/SB – a initiatives of Aquarion and other organizations. BGreen educational
result of certain water quality criteria not being met due to pollution kiosks established in community centers will serve as yet another
levels. Complete sewer separation is one method of reducing water educational outlet.
load at the water treatment plant, but this ‘solution’ will continue to
direct stormwater with road and other surface wastes such as oils, 2. Limit stormwater flow into the
and fertilizers, directly into our waterways, and is estimated to carry waste treatment system
a price tag of at least $300 million. Even after separation, much of Because Bridgeport’s water system has significant aspects that
the stormwater will still flow into the Water Pollution Control Author- remain a combined sanitary and stormwater system, treatment
ity (WPCA) treatment facility – spread over a longer time period – con- facilities must contend with greater volumes of water than they would
tinuing to contribute to the high energy usage at this site. Currently, with separated facilities. The WPCA has developed plans for capital
no city department has direct authority over or responsibility for improvements to separate combined sanitary/stormwater system in
managing stormwater. This is most directly exhibited by the lack of certain areas necessary to limit combined sewer overflows into the
ownership of catch basin maintenance which is currently performed city’s waterways. BGreen will work with the city to assess the merits of
by WPCA because of the impact on their system. With over 10,000 modified improvements as presented in Bridgeport’s Municipal Plan
catch basins across the city, severe flooding hazard in the downtown, of Conservation and Development and identify passive treatments
and major sewer infrastructure investments on the horizon, stormwa- that can be incorporated into street design and site planning to miti-
ter management can no longer be allowed to slip through the cracks. gate some of the need for high-cost separation. Managing the city’s
stormwater and preventing CSOs will require a combination of tradi-
Goal tional infrastructure and green infrastructure investments. While new
development should be held to the highest standards of low-impact
• Ensure residents have access to safe, clean drink- development (see strategy four below), investments in the public
ing water and healthy coastal resources. realm including expansion of the urban tree canopy, incorporation of
rain gardens and swales into street design, and the use of permeable
Opportunities pavement will each mitigate the need for some underground invest-
ment in separated and larger pipes.
Every inch of rain falling on Bridgeport equals nearly 300 million
gallons of water. New ways to manage this water – either by collecting
and releasing it in less impactful ways, or using the water for outdoor

6. Institute water conservation programs in
residential, commercial and industrial sectors
Low-flow water fixtures can reduce water use, lower water costs to the
customer, and ease the load on Bridgeport’s water treatment facili-
ties. Many states, water districts and municipalities have benefitted
in these ways from establishing fixture rebate programs to enable
efficiency retrofits. Bridgeport must also look to ways to change out
existing fixtures in its older housing stock to low flow. BGreen will
work with water-provider Aquarion, the building department and other
relevant agencies to expand these programs throughout the city.
7. Institute water conservation programs

at municipal and school facilities
In conjunction with energy efficiency measures and building retrofit
strategies, the City must conduct water audits and develop water
Passive Stormwater Management in conservation plans, including infrastructure and fixture upgrades for
Dockside Green, Victoria, Canada indoor and outdoor use, at all of its facilities. Upgrades should be
RPA
made at several facilities per year.
3. Maintain the stormwater system to prevent flooding 8. Develop Green Building guidelines to
Flooding in some city neighborhoods is linked to the maintenance include water use considerations
of both natural and man-made stormwater management systems. Green Building guidelines and incentives must include provisions for
The city’s brooks and streams lie primarily on private property and water conservation and efficiency as well as landscape elements,
generations of fill and dumping have, in some cases, degraded their such as trees and green roofs, that impact stormwater management.
ability to manage even typical storms. Dredging and cleaning will be Zoning and pricing incentives should be reviewed for possible appli-
necessary in partnership between the city, WPCA, and property own- cation in Bridgeport. BGreen will work with the office of Planning and
ers to ensure that the city’s natural green infrastructure is providing Development to ensure that any green building standards emphasize
valuable ecological services. Additionally, the WPCA manages and stormwater management best practices. This work will build off of the
cleans a complex system that includes 10,000 storm drains which recently adopted Stormwater Management Policy of the city.
are often clogged with trash and other debris. Adequate manpower,
machinery, and drain structures must be made available to facili- 9. Pursue opportunities for water reuse
tate system cleaning and limit back-ups and flooding. The City of in outdoor water demand planning
Bridgeport will work with WPCA to keep the system at a high level of An inch of rainfall produces 300 million gallons of rainwater on
maintenance. Bridgeport’s surfaces. In conjunction with water supply planning, it
is recommended that a multi-stakeholder water resources forum be
4. Institute best practices for on-site held to consider possible opportunities that this water resource pres-
stormwater management ents in terms of outdoor water supply and managed stormwater flow.
Bridgeport adopted, in 2008, its first ever Stormwater Management
Regulations to help retain stormwater on site. Bridgeport must build
upon this action and implement additional strategies to reduce the
water load on its treatment facilities, including the establishment
of bioswales, rain gardens and collection containers such as rain
barrels. A flood control management study for Seaside Village will
be undertaken with the expectation that recommendations from this
study will serve as guidance for a larger pilot for on-site controls.
Many of the recommendations are expected to cross benefit the
proposed Complete Streets and Streetscape strategies since the
inclusion of green spaces in the development of Complete Streets
will also increase water infiltration and reduce surface water flow and
runoff. As WPCA develops its Long Term Control Plan, attention must
be paid to the possible role that alternatives to complete separation, Shopper using a reusable bag
including individual site controls, larger, multi-site controls such as
cisterns, and stormwater disconnects, can play in the city’s overall
water management strategy. 10. Pursue ban on plastic bags
Serious attention must be given to banning disposable plastic bags,
5. Coordinate land planning to include since plastic bags place significant demand on the cleaning of the
consideration of stormwater management City’s nearly 10,000 storm drains and pass unabated to Long Island
and water resources protection Sound during stormwater overflow events. Once in our waterways, and
Development of a strong GIS system will help to identify best oppor- our oceans, they create a serious threat to our marine life, harming or
tunities for site-specific water management within a larger framework killing many individuals every year. San Francisco and other American
of coordinated land use planning. With information on flooding, cities, even the entire country of China, have banned plastic bags --
elevations, green space, vacant lands and other elements, certain Bridgeport must do so as well
parcels may stand out as opportunities for water control. BGreen will
work with the city GIS staff to incorporate these database aspects
into the city’s spatial information system.

Strategies
Municipal Solid 1. Identify the best recycling program to enable increased utiliza-
Waste, Materials tion. In Connecticut and many other states, single-stream recycling
Use & Recycling facilities and programs enable participants to recycle many more
types of items in a single container without separation, than Bridge-
port’s current system, and have resulted in increased rates stemming
from ease of participation. Stamford recently switched to a single-
Challenges stream recycling program and claims a dramatic and swift increase
in recycled materials collection from 9% to 16%. Other municipali-
Although state-mandated since 1991, only about 4% of Bridgeport’s ties across the globe are experimenting with systems that combine
collected refuse is recycled. This does not compare well with Con- all solid waste into a single stream which is then separated by the
necticut’s statewide rate of 30%. Without major changes, Bridge- hauler into organics (used to power the vehicles), recyclables, and
port will also fall short of 58% 2024 target set by the Connecticut a meager amount of trash that results in a 90% diversion rate away
Municipal Solid Waste Management Plan (Connecticut Department from landfills. One of the several private recycling operators that offer
of Environmental Protection Waste Management and Disposal Plan, incentives for recycling could be utilized to increase recycling rates
2006). Bi-weekly pickup of residential recycling materials, insufficient regardless of the system in place. BGreen will continue to work with
recycling infrastructure, and a lack of information about recycling the city Department of Public Works to explore every opportunity and
fosters this low rate. identify the best strategy to meet the specifics of Bridgeport to result
Bridgeport’s non-recycled garbage (96% of the city’s waste) is in dramatically increased rates of recycling.
burned in the waste-to-energy facility located on Black Rock Harbor.
The resultant ash is trucked across the state to a landfill that is 2. Expand residential recycling through
predicted to be reach capacity in 2018. Future disposal will likely be outreach and bin distribution to all residents
at greater distance and greater expense. The composition of the city’s Regardless of what recycling collection system is in place, recycling
municipal solid waste, including recyclables and organics, indicates will only be successful if households and businesses participate.
there may be many alternatives to turn this waste stream into an as- Through education, direct community contact and improved recycling
set rather than a liability. infrastructure, Bridgeport residents will be given the proper tools to
enable widespread participation in household recycling. Door-to-
Goal door canvassing by the Conservation Corps, piloted in the summer of
2009, will continue. Through this effort as many households as the
• Reduce overall waste and maximize the share of the Conservation Corps can contact will be provided with an instruction
waste stream that is recycled and composted. sheet and verbal information detailing recycling and will be offered
a recycling bin. BGreen will launch an outreach program to com-
Opportunities munity groups as another means of promoting recycling awareness
and participation and developing community recycling networks.
A pilot program run for six weeks during the summer of 2009 re- Managers of large residential buildings will be approached individu-
vealed significant interest by residents to participate in recycling and ally to determine what is preventing their residents from recycling and
highlighted substantial opportunities to maximize waste diversion. develop viable recycling programs. Recycling education in schools will
When canvassed door-to-door by the Mayor’s Conservation Corps, support efforts at home. In addition, municipal recycling operators
nearly half the residents contacted requested recycling bins, which will receive training to enable them to be effective public educators in
were later delivered to their houses by the City’s Recycling Depart- the field. Biweekly collection, if at all possible, should be increased to
ment. Within a two-week timeframe, recycling rates in some areas in- weekly collection.
creased by nearly three tons, or 46%. With better programs, services
and information, recycling in Bridgeport can be greatly expanded. 3. Expand commercial recycling through
In the private sector, Aquarion’s “Get Caught Recycling” program education and infrastructure to all businesses.
and other recycling initiatives have demonstrated a number of suc- Businesses face different challenges to recycling. Some commercial
cessful strategies for increasing recycling rates for numerous products buildings are owned and occupied by a single entity and have a
including paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, batteries, light bulbs single custodial service and single waste hauler. Other commercial
and fleet oils. These results demonstrate that expanded residential buildings have several tenants and several custodial services. Many
recycling education and bin distribution on the city’s end, combined businesses have particular security concerns related to document
with commitment by residents, municipal agencies and businesses, disposal. All have multiple entities involved in the process that takes
will bring results. Furthermore, there are additional programs and recyclable materials from the desktop to the recycling bin to the out-
improvements that the city can implement to elevate these diversion side bin and finally to the recycling facility. To get to the core of com-
rates toward the statewide goal. Single-stream recycling programs in mercial recycling, Bridgeport will host several commercial recycling
other Connecticut municipalities are achieving 35% recycling rates, forums to identify barriers and best practices, spotlight successful
while even more comprehensive recycling programs nationally and examples of commercial recycling in Bridgeport, and identify workable
internationally are posting nearly 90% recycling, reuse and reclaim programs for other members of our commercial sector. This sector
rates. Other privately run recycling incentive programs in several Con- can look to the experience of several national recycling organizations
necticut municipalities have also achieved more modest results over to optimize this effort.
a shorter time horizon. As Bridgeport prepares for a resurgence in
development, now is also the time to institute Construction & Demoli- 4. Promote Downtown Special Services
tion recycling regulations, which will reduce the amount of building District recycling indoors and out
waste and carbon emissions resultant from redevelopment. The Downtown Special Services District (DSSD) encompasses the
area of the city that many visitors, students and business associates
see first, coming off buses and trains at the Transportation Center, go-

ing to an event at Harbor Yard, The Arena, Burroughs Library, McLevy
Green or the Barnum Museum, conducting business at City Hall or Recycling Pays
downtown, or on their way to class at our universities. A comprehen-
sive recycling program must be established inside and outside the Stamford, CT
DSSD. Enhanced recycling visibility in this critical zone will send the
clear message to all that Bridgeport recycles. BGreen will work with
DSSD to develop strategies to amplify its message with supportive
services to its member businesses.
5. Promote recycled & recyclable materials

purchase by the City and commercial sector
Paper, ink cartridges, food service products, carpets, machine oils
– all of these and many other products can be recycled and/or pur-
chased with at least partial recyclable materials content. Government
and businesses must recycle as much as they can and must strive to
incorporate recycled products and recyclable products into all opera-
tions so as to reduce our city’s contribution to municipal solid waste.
6. Institute recycling for municipal facilities, A Big Belly Solar Street Compactor
RPA
operations and events at municipal sites.
The City of Bridgeport must show leadership in recycling so others Stamford replaced its dual stream recycling with single stream
will follow. The goal should be to establish recycling programs at all operations in July 2009. In the program’s first three months, 28%
buildings and parks, and to provide recycling bins at all events taking less garbage ended up in the landfill, saving the city more than
place on municipal sites. Education and proper infrastructure are $100,000 in hauling costs. Since the city’s single stream contract
critical components of this strategy’s success. A needs assessment also enables it to share a portion of the profits from the sale of
at all facilities will identify indoor and outdoor recycling infrastructure recyclables, the City anticipated revenues of more than $6 a ton
needs. Enlisting point persons to answer all recycling-related ques- for September 2009 and possibly more in ensuing months. In
tions will help increase recycling rates. A policy on recycling at public all, Stamford is expected to save more than $1 million a year in
sites and for public events, supported by specific guidelines, ad- municipal solid waste costs. “Most of our garbage is packaging,
equate infrastructure, and follow-up after events will enable recycling not banana peels,” State Senator Andrew McDonald said.
during the many large events held in Bridgeport each year.
7. Establish comprehensive system-

wide recycling at our schools the periodic Park City Sweeps, or volunteer clean-ups, and proposes
Schools offer one of the easiest and most effective means of the posting of “Post Clean-up” signs to personalize clean up efforts in
increasing the City’s recycling rate. With a population of over 20,000 the effort to prevent future dumping and littering.
students in consolidated facilities, who want to do “what is right for
the planet,” comprehensive school recycling and composting must be 9. Establish a composting center for food waste
aggressively developed. A recycling mindset and responsible recycling Much of the city’s waste is composed of organic materials that can
networks can be easily established at every school location, and be composted locally so that the nutrients contained within stay
must be supported by adequate bins, participation by all students in the city, jobs are created, and local produce is grown for city
and staff members, responsible custodial services and responsible employees and residents. BGreen will work to create a partnership
haulers who ensure recyclable materials are recycled. Composting between a hauling company, UConn’s Agriculture School, the city, and
food wastes from school cafeterias is another area to be explored, the re-entry community to find a site to create a composting facility
and could be investigated in conjunction with community gardening and train workders to staff and manage it. Working first with the large
needs. Building viable recycling programs at schools is expected to institutions including the schools, hospitals, and universities, organic
reinforce recycling efforts in the city’s households waste will be collected for composting. As the program develops, rela-
tionships will be created with local restaurants, corporate cafeterias,
8. Engage residents in anti-dumping and catering halls, and eventually households to increase the amount of
“pride in community” anti-litter campaigns locally generated organics retained in the city. The soil produced will
When the transfer station is closed for the night, or the cost to dump be used in community gardens and pocket parks and the vegetables
seems prohibitive, or the vacant site seems like an easier alternative grown will be sold to local institutions and restaurants completing the
to proper dumping, the “midnight dumpers” strike, often in vacant lots cycle of waste and regrowth within city limits.
which quickly become sources of community blight. Analyzing dump-
ing “hot spots” will help determine the best locations for additional 10. Expand recycling expectations for
surveillance and possible fencing. Today’s cell phone technology construction and demolition waste
may also provide the opportunity for residents to participate in anti- The redevelopment and building retrofits that are expected in the
dumping actions. Sites with illegally dumped garbage take too long to coming years will send much construction and demolition debris to
get cleaned up and attention should be paid to developing the most out-of-state landfills if Bridgeport does not take action to regulate
streamlined methods possible. Finally, action can be taken to develop and/or incentivize recycling of these materials. Bridgeport’s transfer
a sense of responsibility and more personalized presence. One station enables some materials sorting, but does not attack the core
program for accomplishing this is a pride in community campaign to of the problem, which is construction and demolition (C&D) policy.
enlist business operators to sweep up outside their businesses and Several municipalities have adopted materials sorting and recycling
sponsor combined trash/recycling bins outside. A second relates to requirements as part of construction and have linked these require-
ments to the permitting process. The first step for Bridgeport is to

develop a C&D Task Force which can develop policy based on experi- Goals
ence and models from other communities, investigate opportunities
for siting C&D recycling facilities within Bridgeport, and investigate • Assist green businesses to grow and prosper in Bridge-
opportunities for private involvement within or beyond city boundar- port and help the city diversify its business base.
ies.
• Create 1000 new green collar jobs in Bridgeport
by 2012 by recruiting green businesses and train-
11. Engage recycling operators in ing workers for the new green economy.
recycling-education campaigns
Bridgeport’s recycling operators are the links in the field to Bridge- • Utilize the purchasing power of the public and pri-
port’s recyclers – the community at large. It is essential that residents vate sectors to buy green products, including re-
receive accurate information on recycling, including what to recycle, cycled materials, green cleaning products, green en-
what not to recycle and when to recycle, and to also have adequate ergy, and other eco-friendly products and materials
recycling bins. Periodic training programs for all recycling and mu-
nicipal solid waste operators will arm these key point persons with Opportunities
the materials they need to help city residents. Such programs will
also allow for needed feedback from the field, thereby enabling quick Green collar jobs currently represent the fifth largest sector of the U.S.
identification of problems, successes or necessary changes. economy, with almost 9 million employed. This is expected to grow
to 40 million by 2030 (Learn4good). Bridgeport residents are ideally
12. Investigate options for special suited for training and upward movement through the green jobs mar-
needs and bulk pick up ket. Bridgeport’s schools are willing to assume leadership positions
Because many Bridgeport residents do not own cars and do not drive, in green skills training. Land is available for commercial develop-
disposing of large items is difficult. Formerly the City conducted peri- ment and establishment of green collar industries. This combination
odic bulk pickups, but the cost of pickups is substantial. It may very presents Bridgeport with a unique opportunity to become a center
well be possible to develop programs in partnership with nonprofit or of green collar training, business and jobs. This plan recommends
private entities that either enable disposal at community drop loca- the creation of a Green Collar Institute that will be housed in an
tions or at-home pick-up. established non-profit institution in the city and act as an umbrella
organization encompassing the first four strategies in this section.
Strategies
1. Establish a model Green Collar Jobs career-

ladder training continuum within existing
Green Businesses, secondary and higher educational institutions

In order to prepare the city’s workforce for emerging green industries,
Jobs and Purchasing training in the core sectors of the green economy will be neces-
sary. The training continuum takes students through introductory
workshops in a variety of topic areas ranging from HVAC to building
deconstruction and brownfield remediation. After this overview, they
Challenges will move into a specific training program for a chosen occupation
that will result in a nationally recognized certificate in fields such
The unemployment rate in Bridgeport now exceeds 12%. During the as weatherization and green facilities management. Lead by The
past 25 years, Bridgeport lost about 15,000 jobs while the rest of Workplace, Inc., a green jobs coalition recently secured a Pathways
the region gained about 13,000 jobs. The first major challenge in the Out of Poverty grant of $4 million from the U.S. Department of Labor
area of green businesses and jobs is to provide our labor force the to begin this training in the city’s neighborhoods of greatest need.
necessary training opportunities to take advantage of a rapidly evolv- This initial program will train 600 members of the Bridgeport’s labor
ing green collar jobs market. The second challenge is to green existing force, enabling them to meet the rapidly expanding demands of
Bridgeport businesses and bring new green businesses to the city so green industries. The trainee base could be expanded to meet the
we can put our newly-skilled Bridgeport residents to work and support needs of middle income trainees from the city and the region looking
our city’s tax base. for employment in the green economy. Additional grant dollars to
Green jobs are a glimmer of hope amid the current economic complement the DOL program are available at the federal level and at
gloom. The federal government now appears ready to include large national foundations.
sums of money for projects involving renewable energy, mass transit,
energy efficiency, modernization of our electrical grid, and water and 2. Create a Green Business Incubator
wastewater systems. But green jobs are not just a short-term fix in a and/or a Green Business Cluster
recession and are not simply related to infrastructure development. The creation of a comprehensive Green Business Incubator and/or a
Increasingly, these jobs are being viewed as central to the future of Green Business Cluster in Bridgeport could become a state and na-
our nation and our planet. Green facilities managers, green water tional model for encouraging and nurturing the development of green
technicians, green product designers and green building architects businesses. Incubators provide opportunities for start up companies;
are but a few of the areas where the green revolution will lead to new clusters serve more mature businesses. Presently, Connecticut has
job creation and training opportunities. many business incubator models; some provide only low cost space;
others provide some level of ancillary services to support their busi-
nesses; and some have a modest affiliation with a local university.
But to our knowledge, few have focused their efforts on the unique
needs of green businesses. The creation of a model Green Business
Incubator or Green Business Cluster, with a strong set of university

and corporate partners, and a comprehensive array of services to 6. Pilot a green purchasing program for
support green business growth including business planning services, municipal facilities and operations
marketing services, access to capital, accounting, legal and other BGreen 2020 staff has been assisting the city develop an “Environ-
support services is a must if we are to become a center of excellence mentally Preferable Purchasing” policy to minimize the city’s impact
for green business growth. Within a year BGreen will identify corpo- on the environmental by including environmental considerations in
rate and university partner(s), business and service prospects and the procurement of materials, equipment and services. Such a policy
funding opportunities; develop a marketing strategy, identify a facility will further the city’s environmental goals, improve worker health and
and bring in ten start-up companies. In ensuing years, efforts will go safety, reduce liabilities, reduce disposal and lifecycle costs of the
toward establishing additional businesses with the eventual goal of purchased products, and increase the availability of environmentally
attracting a total of twenty to thirty new green businesses. preferred products in the marketplace. In December 2009, the city
adopted such a policy and began implementation. Over time, the city
3. Provide education and support to can also look to regionalize green purchasing through coordinated ef-
green existing businesses forts with other municipalities. In addition, it is recommended the city
Bridgeport city government and business organizations can imple- investigate opportunities for greening equipment operations, and pilot
ment specific policies to provide all businesses with the informa- green equipment use and operations in the Parks Department, with
tion and tools necessary to conduct their business operations in as the goal of expanding to other departments shortly thereafter.
green a manner as possible. There are several national models being
implemented around the country, including an innovative online pro- 7. Promote recycled and recyclable materials
gram developed in North Carolina called Green Plus. Green Plus is a purchase by the city and commercial sector
business partnership between Duke University, the University of North Paper, ink cartridges, food service products, carpets, machine oils
Carolina at Chapel Hill, and regional chambers of commerce that – all of these and many other products can be recycled and/or pur-
advances practical knowledge in sustainability by providing afford- chased with at least partial recyclable materials content. Government
able expertise to small businesses and non-profit agencies and helps and businesses must recycle as much as they can and must strive to
educate, motivate and reward small employers for pursuing greater incorporate recycled products and recyclable products into all opera-
triple bottom line sustainability. It is recommended that the BRBC tions so as to reduce our city’s contribution to municipal solid waste.
reach out to the Green Plus program and establish a similar effort in A comprehensive waste reduction program will limit the amount of
Bridgeport. The BRBC should host a forum for businesses on greening local dollars spent on unnecessary inputs to the economy and spent
opportunities, develop an ongoing program to educate businesses on on dealing with unnecessary wastes.
energy efficiency, green product use and green business procedures,
and coordinate efforts with commercial recycling, water conservation 8. Promote green purchasing in the residential sector
and energy initiatives. A key component of this outreach will be to Healthy indoor air quality is critical to good health. Using environmen-
identify impediments and strategic opportunities to greening business tally responsible products is a good first step in this process. Several
operations and develop green business strategies specific to existing nonprofit organizations, including the Environmental Justice Coalition,
Bridgeport businesses. There are several local and national corporate in conjunction with the U.S. EPA, are developing outreach programs
partners who can assist the BRBC in this effort. to support healthy indoor air quality and other environmental training
efforts to have residents use safer products in their homes. Bridgeport
4. Establish a Green Collar Resource Center should support these programs and take action to expand upon exist-
As existing businesses work to green themselves, as new businesses ing programs for training and educating residents on use of green
are created locally that are based in the green economy, and as local products and improving indoor air quality.
workers are trained in these emerging sectors, a green collar resource
center will be the connecting fabric linking these three elements to
ensure that co-benefits and synergy are maximized in the local green
economy. The center will outreach to local employers in Fairfield and
New Haven counties to link their jobs needs with the trainee’s skills.
Additionally, the center will contain a research component that will
collect data and develop the tools necessary to nurture, grow, and
support green local businesses. The center will also develop the ac-
counting processes necessary to measure our success in fostering
the city’s green economy.
5. Provide weatherization training and

certification for 100 students
Multi-school, multi-sector partnerships to create a weatherization
education and training program in the city are under development.
Housatonic Community College, Bullard Havens Technical High
School and the Green Team, among others, are building new training
programs to support expanded federal efforts to weatherize more
low-income homes in Connecticut. Early tasks include developing the
curriculum, identifying facilities and securing funding to enable train-
ing of 100 students in the first year. These efforts could eventually be
folded into the green collar jobs career-ladder training continuum as
more resources are identified and coordination maximized. Addition-
ally, greater effort should be made to coordinate the work done by
non-profits doing weatherization with the electric utility distribution
company, UI, also doing work in this important area.

Strategies
Green Marketing,
Education and Outreach Students learning about sustainabilty
State of Indiana
Challenges
Sustainability is a concept that is not always well understood and

often lacks a mechanism for immediate noticeable positive feedback.
Community-wide buy-in of sustainable action might be difficult in a
community that has often been disengaged, felt overlooked, and in
which economic priorities predominantly determine actions. Even with
substantial community participation and support, Bridgeport faces a
tough task in changing its image from that of a place tainted by the
polluted legacy of its former industrial glory.
Goals
• Educate students about sustainability that will assist them
1. Conduct neighborhood outreach to educate
and involve Bridgeport households in BGreen
in better understanding how energy efficiency and conserva-
initiatives and sustainable best practices.
tion contribute to a healthier environment and save money.
In a city composed of neighborhoods, outreach, education and
• Increase awareness and introduce best practices to Bridgeport BGreen buy-in will build upon personal outreach and community
residential households on living in a more sustainable manner. initiatives. Educating residents on the environmental, social and
cost-saving benefits of undertaking sustainable actions and avail-
• Brand the BGreen initiative as an essential com-
able means for reaping these benefits will be a top priority. BGreen is
ponent of the city’s revitalization plan.
seeking 100% citywide participation, and community groups and city
residents will be asked to assume leadership positions in numerous
Opportunities BGreen projects, initiatives and technical committeees. The Mayor’s
Conservation Corps will continue to canvass households to educate
BGreen 2020 offers substantial opportunities for personal empower- residents on specific BGreen projects, such as recycling, energy ef-
ment. Every resident, business, industry, municipal department and ficiency, and stormwater management projects. BGreen will leverage
school has the opportunity, through BGreen, to make a difference in the capacities and networks of community and faith-based organiza-
their personal realm, community and, through their combined efforts, tions for community events that publicize BGreen concepts, programs,
the region. Scaling up initiatives to the citywide level will amplify the and examples of best practices. BGreen volunteers will seek com-
efforts of all individuals, allowing for energy conservation, water con- munity members to participate in and lead specific projects. Finally,
servation, transportation savings, and reduced emissions not neces- educational kiosks will be placed in libraries and community centers
sarily attainable by lesser populated or more sprawling communities. that link residents to BGreen initiatives and resources.
Communities are at Bridgeport’s core, and community initiatives are
widespread. These initiatives, and the operations of individual groups,
are rarely coordinated, , diluting their impact and their recognition.
With increased and increasingly coordinated personal and com-
munity action, the City, using the BGreen Sustainability Plan as a key
element, has a unique opportunity to grow green, show green, and to
re-brand Bridgeport as a model sustainable city with notable oppor-
tunities for education, jobs, recreation, and desired quality of life. It is
expected this comprehensive effort will show great returns in terms of
attracting outside interests into Bridgeport.
A Bridgeport High School student

created the winning design for the
Park City logo contest
City of Bridgeport
2. Develop school-wide sustainability education

and youth engagement opportunities
Schools have a valuable role in the development and support of
community initiatives. Schoolchildren may be the only link a house-
hold has to the larger community, and, especially for non-English
speaking households, a major source of information for parents and
other household members on community resources. BGreen will work
with the Board of Education, schools, and supporting businesses and
organizations to develop an inventory of existing green curricula and

programs and to develop recommendations for green education. A
key initiative will be the expansion of recycling within the schools as
a strategy for reaching community-wide recycling goals. The Mayor’s
Conservation Corps, composed of high school students and young
adults, will continue to educate individual households and will be
involved in future BGreen projects such as parks enhancements and
community events.
3. Brand Bridgeport as a model green community

An overarching theme of the BGreen Initiative is to redefine Bridge-
port as a green community with quality parks, transportation options
and educational and employment opportunities, and to publicize
programs and characteristics of Bridgeport that enable sustainable
living. Marketing materials will drive awareness to the initiative and
clearly convey BGreen goals, priorities and programs. To support
the BGreen brand, the organization will seek business partners for
promotions that mutually reinforce the initiative and sponsor. Brand-
ing Bridgeport as a model sustainable city will attract residents and
employers and encourage private investment in Bridgeport’s future.
For instance, in part thanks to the BGreen Initiative, Bridgeport was
recently included in Self Magazine’s Top Ten Places for Women to Live.

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Concrete Products, “Unilock supplies record permeable pavement for U.S. Assembly as an Annex to document A/42/427 - Development and International Co-
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mecprotects.org/greendividend.pdf
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Gornitz, Vivien, et al., Environmental Defense Fund, Bracing for Climate Change in the
Constitution State: What Connecticut Could Face, 2004; http://www.edf.org/docu-
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www.ilsr.org/recycling/recyclingmeansbusiness.html
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assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-spm.pdf
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green_collar_opportunities.php
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of Working Families, Center for Housing Policy, Washington D.C., 2006, in Housing
+ Transportation Affordability in Tucson Metropolitan Area, Pima County, and Pinal
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Institute, College of Architecture & Landscape Architecture, The University of Arizona,
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A Conceptual Description,” October 2006, http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/air/regu-
lations/proposed_and_reports/section_2.pdf
Lea Radick, “Where green hits beyond the baseball field,” Medill Reports, A Publica-
tion of the Medill School, Chicago, Northwestern University, April 17, 2008; http://
www.uni-groupusa.org/PDF/Where%20green%20hits%20beyond%20the%20base-
ball%20field-Lea%20Radick.pdf

Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the following for Ross Spiegel (Fletcher Thompson Debbie Kuchmas (Housatonic Community Jeanne Yuckienuz (Connecticut’s Beard-
their vision and efforts in moving Architects) College) sley Zoo)
Bridgeport to a sustainable future Thomas Stilley (Dupont Corporation) Bill Leahy (Institute of Sustainable City staff whose support
Rick Thigpen (PSE&G) Energy)
The Honorable Mayor Bill Finch, City of efforts contributed to Technical
Dick Tiani (Groundwork Bridgeport) Jenny Liu (Dupont)
Bridgeport Subcommittee operations
Paul S. Timpanelli (Bridgeport Regional Maya Loewenberg (State of Connecticut
Mr. Paul Timpanelli, President and Chief Paul Albuquerque
Business Council) DECD, Brownfields)
Executive Officer, Bridgeport Regional Jodie Paul-Arndt
Also, special thanks Hugh McCann (Identification Products
Business Council Virginia Baldino
to the following: Incorporation)
Special thanks to the following, Mike McCarthy (Workplace Inc.) Stephanie Blake
who served as members of the Members of BGreen 2020 Tom McCarthy (President, Bridgeport City Charles Carroll
BGreen 2020 Sustainability Technical Subcommittees: Council) Paul Catino
Community Advisory Committee Pat McDonnell (United Illuminating Deb Caviness
Terry Backer (State Representative, State Company) Tom Coble
Eric Anderson (Urban Green Builders) of Connecticut) Rich McHugh (Economic Development, Bill Coleman
Cindy Bigelow (R.C. Bigelow Incorporated) Kim Barber (GEI Associates) City of Bridgeport) Luann Conine
Dorcas Blue (Fairfield County Community Stephanie Barnes (Higgins Real Estate) Tyfannie Mack (United Illuminating Co.) John Cottell
Foundation) Erik Bernard (Aquarion Water Company) Martin Mador (Sierra Club) Kathryn Cullen
Kevin Byrnes (Fairfield County Building Dorcas Blue (Fairfield County Community Alma Maya (Town Clerk, Bridgeport) Cathy Curwen
Trades) Foundation) Barbara Miller (Brody Wilkinson) Tony Deprimo
Charles “Don” Clemons (State Represen- Frank Borres (West End NRZ) Iris Molina (Social Services, City of Don Eversley
tative, State of Connecticut) Paul Boucher (South End NRZ) Bridgeport) Elaine Ficarra
Joseph M. Carbone (The Workplace, Inc.) Erin Buckley (Center for Green Building) Sheri Neely (CT Coalition for Environmen- Robert Hammond
Edith Cassidy, Chair (Bridgeport Child Karen Burnaska (Transit for Connecticut tal Justice) Art Harris
Advocacy Coalition) Coalition) Mark Nielsen (GBRPA) Steve Hladun
Leticia Colon (City Council member, City Ralph Buzzard (Education, Bridgeport) Kevin Nunn (BERC) James Holloway
of Bridgeport) Kevin Byrnes (Fairfield County Building Veronica Ortiz (City of Bridgeport) Andy Kennedy
Gregg Dancho Connecticut’s Beardsley Trades) Tammy Pappa (The Lighthouse) Robert Kennedy
Zoo) Edith Cassidy (Bridgeport Child Advocacy Max Perez (OPED, City of Bridgeport) Sabine Kuczo
Susan L. Davis (St. Vincent’s Medical Coalition) Ron Pinciaro (Toro & Pinciaro) Ed Lavernoich
Center) Deb Caviness (Small Business Director, William Pollack (Landscape Architect) Richard McHugh
Dan Esty (Director of Environmental Law, City of Bridgeport) Julio Reinoso (Community Activist) Alex McGoldrick
Yale University) John Cottell (Public Facilities, Bridgeport) Lisa Renkowsky (AllPhase Construction) Lisa Miro
Mary Fischer (Yale University) Jay Curran (GEI Consultants) Lou Rinaldi (Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Jeanette Nadrizny
Dr. Marian Evans (Director of Health and Susan Davis (St. Vincent’s Hospital) Steamboat Co.) Mike Nidoh
Social Services, City of Bridgeport) Tony DePrimo (Public Facilities-Recycling, Bill Robinson (WPCA, Bridgeport) Fernanda Olivera
Donald Eversley (Director of OPED, City of Bridgeport) Ann Robinson (Community Capital) Max Perez
Bridgeport) Gregg Dancho (Connecticut’s Beardsley Beth Royer (Planning, City of Bridgeport) Angie Staltaro
Gretchen Hancock (General Electric) Zoo) Stuart Sachs (PRE/view Landscape Dawn Savo
Shante Hanks (Congressman Jim Himes Diane Dimino (United Illuminating Co.) Architects) Dennis Scinto Jr
Office) Jere Eaton (Printabilities) Tom Santa (Santa Fuels) Dennis Scinto Sr
Robert Henry (Board of Education, City of Karolyn Egbert (Trefz Corporation) Garrett Sheehan (United Illuminating Aijaz Syed
Bridgeport) Franco Evangelio (MetroPool) Company) Bernd Tardy
James Holloway (City Council Member, Maryanne Evans (Health Director, City of Peter Simmons (State of Connecticut Lisa Trachtenburg
City of Bridgeport) Bridgeport) DECD, Brownfields) John Tristine
Adrienne Houel (Greater Bridgeport Com- Cynthia Fernandes (Board of Education, Mike Smalec (Southern Connecticut Gas Jon Urquidi
munity Enterprises (Green Team)) Bridgeport) Company) Andy Valeri
Curt Johnson (CT Fund for the Environ- Elaine Ficarro (Office of the Mayor, City of
ment) Melissa Spear (Common Ground) BGreen 2020 Funders
Bridgeport) Ross Spiegel (Fletcher Thompson)
Alanna Kabel (Deputy CAO, City of Garrett Gizowski (GE Credit Union) Fairfield County Community Foundation
Bridgeport) Angie Staltaro (Neighborhood Revitaliza-
Carolyn Gonzales (Community Capital) tion, City of Bridgeport) Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation
Ron Kilcoyne (Greater Bridgeport Transit) Steve Gullick (Gullick Construction) United Illuminating Co.
Debbie Kuchmas (Housatonic Community Tom Stilley (Dupont)
Peter Hance (Bridgeport Housing Author- Michael Stone (Steel Point Development PSE&G
College) ity) The City of Bridgeport
Martin Mador (Sierra Club) Team)
Gretchen Hancock (General Electric) Jesse Stratton (Environment Northeast) Bridgeport Regional Business Council
Glenn Marshall (Carpenters Union Local Bob Halstead (Bridgeport Community
210) Susan Tabachnick (Leap Program BGreen 2020 Program Managers
Land Trust) Manager)
Alma Maya (Town Clerk, City of Bridge- Shante Hanks (Congressman Himes David Kooris (Regional Plan Association)
port) Mike Taylor (VitaNuova)
Office) Bernd Tardy (City of Bridgeport) Amanda Kennedy (Regional Plan As-
Ted Meekins (Neighborhood Revitaliza- Marge Hiller (BCAC) sociation)
tion Zone) Rick Thigpen (PSE&G)
Al Hinds (Facilities, Board of Education, Dick Tiani (Groundwork Bridgeport) Evelyn Lee (Regional Plan Association)
Patrick F. McDonnell (United Illuminating) Bridgeport) Jeff Leichtman (Global Infrastructure
Gina McCarthy (DEP Commissioner, State Bob Tierney (UTC Power)
Janet Hinterneder (Eastern Bag & Paper) Fahim Uddin (ITS, City of Bridgeport) Strategies)
of Connecticut) Steve Hladun (Parks Department, City of Michelle Sapp (MP & Associates)
Thomas McCarthy (City Council President, Maria Valle (City Council, Bridgeport)
Bridgeport) Armindo Videira (Recycling, City of James Horne (MP & Associates)
City of Bridgeport) Doug Holcomb (Greater Bridgeport Leila Lawrence (MP & Associates)
John McKinney (State Senator, State of Bridgeport)
Transit) Lillian Wade (East End NRZ) Kevin Bryan (Meridian Institute)
Connecticut) James Horne (UWGUC)
Sheri Neely (CT Coalition for Environmen- Bob Wall (Connecticut Clean Energy Fund) Report Design, Layout, and Graphics
Adrianne Houel (Greater Bridgeport Com- Lynne Werner (Housatonic Valley Water-
tal Justice) munity Enterprises (Green Team)) Paolo Ikezoe (Regional Plan Association)
Andrew Nunn (Chief Administrative Officer, shed Association)
Scott Hughes (Bridgeport Public Library) Benjamin Oldenburg (Regional Plan
City of Bridgeport) Bruce Wettenstein (Private Real Estate)
Steve Israel (Private developer) Association)
Homer Purcell (UTC Power Marian Whiteman (General Electric)
Curt Johnson (CT Fund for the Environ- Ray Wiley (O&G/ City of Bridgeport Report Editing
Thomas Santa, President & CEO, Santa ment)
Energy School Construction) Juliette Michaelson (Regional Plan As-
Ron Kilcoyne (Greater Bridgeport Transit) John Wilkins (Bridgeport Community Land
Melissa Spear (Common Ground) Alfred Kovalik (Geodesign Incorporated) sociation)
Trust)

Energy Efficiency • Recycling • Green Jobs
Complete Streets • Green Collar Institute
Transit First • Neighborhood pocket parks
Composting • Urban farming • Bioswales
Green Business Incubator • Green Roofs
Weatherization • Solar energy • Energy
Improvement District • Energy Efficiency
Recycling • Green Jobs • Complete
Streets • Green Collar Institute • Transit
First • Neighborhood pocket parks
Streets • Green Collar Institute • Transit
First • Neighborhood pocket parks
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What is the goal of the BGreen 2020 plan?

What is the goal of the BGreen 2020 plan?

What challenges is Bridgeport facing according to the document?

What challenges is Bridgeport facing according to the document?

BGreen 2020

2 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 3

Regional Plan Association (RPA) is an independent, not-for-

4 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 5

Vacant and tax-exempt land Workforce vs. jobs

unimproved 45,000 Stamford

6 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

8 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

100 year flood and coastal impact zones

Decades of economic hardship have left Bridgeport residents with

10 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

Building Retrofits Jobs Deconstruction Jobs

National Park Service employees in-

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 11

Green Parking Lots

Flocking to a green Portland

12 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 13

14 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 15

Organizational Mayor Bill Finch

Resource Project Management Team City of Bridgeport

16 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

Technical subcommittee program areas: A model for others

• Green Energy and Buildings

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 17

• Utilize sustainable energy practices and production as a Waste 1.2%

18 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 19

Organizational structure Engaging city government

20 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 21

Bridgeport community-wide emissions by sector

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 23

Green Zone Map

24 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

8. Develop Green Building standards and

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 25

Green Wheels by institutions and nonprofits or government agencies. It is imperative

26 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 27

4. Create vision plans for remediation and

28 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

A GBTA bus making a route

Smart Travel Pays

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 29

7. Promote bicycling and develop bicycle infrastructure

8. Establish Mobility Authority

30 BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut

*Park need is a composite index of income, race/ethnicity, age,

BGreen 2020 • A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut 31

• Ensure the city’s residents have access to abun-

The two Olmsted-designed parks – Beardsley and Seaside – are