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Michelle DeHaven
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Annual Report 2021

building capacity to address environmental challenges 2021 ANNUAL REPORT WSU Environmental Finance Center

photo courtesey of Bill Duncan

FROM THE DIRECTOR 2021 was a good year for growing relevant and impactful projects, connecting with new partners and old friends, and helping communities build capacity to address environmental challenges. The best part of my job is that I get to work with an incredible team. We are sad to announce that Leslie Kimble stepped away from EFC work. We wish her the very best on her new family- life adventure, but we miss her creative insights and talents. The EFC added two new staff members in 2021. Jeff Severin joined our team in January bringing 20+ years of sustainability planning, environmental justice, environmental education, and conservation experience and climate change credentials to the EFC. In July, Baylee Vieyra came on board with experience in municipal sustainability, budgeting, emergency response planning, and marketing and communications. Nick, Brian, Michelle, and John are all still here and empowering communities every day. Analisa Munhall is our Graduate Assistant, pursuing a master's degree through the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs. By working with the EFC, she gets real-world experience and provides staff with research and practical assistance on many of our projects. We really have a great team! We are grateful for the support we receive from the WSU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and we are inspired to live up to the vison of the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs to link the University to the community. On behalf of the EFC Team, we invite you to peruse this year’s Annual Report and share in our celebration of projects that improved the environment, quality of life, and the financial sustainability of the communities we served. Please also join us as we look forward to the future work and impacts of our new EFC Strategic Plan. Tonya Tonya Bronleewe, Director WSU Environmental Finance Center

STRATEGIC PLANNING The EFC has changed a lot over the last 11 years. To be prepared for the next decade, EFC Staff went through a strategic planning process in 2021. We identified four Focus Areas that will set a course for programs, partnerships, organizational management, and financial sustainability. As part of the strategic plan, we reevaluated and revamped our vision and mission and identified core functions that will help us share what we do and align our work. • VISION Communities are empowered to take actions that enhance their environmental and financial health to improve the quality of life for everyone. • MISSION To build capcity for addressing environmental challenges

what we do 5 Core Functions help us fulfill our vision and mission. building capacity to address environmental challenges | page 5

ABOUT THE EFC The Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center was established in 2010, to build on the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs' 50-year history of providing quality financial and managerial support to local governments. The EFC expanded the School’s reach outside the boundaries of Kansas and concentrates services on environmental issues in the Midwest. The WSU EFC is part of the nationwide Environmental Finance Center Network established by EPA to help address funding challenges communities face as they plan and implement environmental projects and programs that help improve the quality of life for everyone. Our work often intersects with the research of faculty at the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs. Over the years, faculty have contributed to many of our projects. We look forward to continuing to learn and engage with Hugo Wall staff, faculty, and students.

our team Tonya Bronleewe Nicholas Willis Brian Bohnsack, PhD John Colclazier Director Senior Program Manager Program Manager Program Manager Michelle DeHaven Jeff Severin, MUP Baylee Vieyra Analisa Munhall Program Manager Program Manager Program Manager Graduate Student Assistant building capacity to address environmental challenges | page 7

our partners Blue2Blue Conservation K-State Engineering Extension Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality City Clerks & Municipal Finance Officers Association Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams Nebraska Department of Health/Human Services City of Auburn Board of Public Works (NE) Kansas American Water Works Association Nebraska League of Municipalities City of El Dorado, Wetlands and Water Reclamation (KS) Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Ponca Tribe of Nebraska City of Springfield, Missouri Education Ranson Citycode Financial City of Wichita Kansas Biological Survey at Kansas University Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska Delta Institute Kansas Department of Health and Environment Santee Sioux Nation EarthDay365 Kansas League of Municipalities Solid Waste Association of North America East-West Gateway Council of Governments Kansas Municipal Utilities Springfield-Greene County Health Food Rescue Partnership Kansas Organization of Recyclers St. Louis Area Food Bank Government Finance Officers Association Kansas Rural Water Association University of Missouri Extension Great Lakes Environmental Infrastructure Center Kansas Society of Professional Engineers U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Harvesters Community Food Network Kansas Water Environment Association U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic Kansas Water Office Water Environment and Reuse Foundation Heartland Conservation Alliance Mid-America Regional Council Water Environment Federation The Nature Conservancy - Missouri Chapter Mississippi State University Water Resources Research Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center Indian Health Services Institute Water Research Foundation Iowa Department of Natural Resources Missouri Confluence Waterkeeper WSU Engineering Iowa Municipal Utilities Association Missouri Department of Natural Resources WSU Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs Iowa Waste Reduction Center Missouri Public Utilities Association WSU Public Policy & Management Center James River Basin Partnership National Association of Development Organizations ...and many more community organizations. Johnson County Food Policy Council Nebraska American Water Works Association •We partner with Environmental Finance Centers in all 10 EPA regions on projects that enhance communities across the nation. 8 wsu environmental finance center | 2021 annual report

2021 in numbers 55 $1 $7 EVENTS FUNDING Our professional events included For every $1 in EPA Region 7 Core Grant funding, both virtual and safely conducted the EFC leveraged approximately $7 in additional in-person trainings, summits, and funding to support projects across our region. conference presentations. Contracts 1% Supplemental EPA Core Grant 1,796 State Projects Projects 34% 24% Original EPA Core ATTENDEES Grant 3% Event participants represented over Subcontracts 500 organizations from across the 38% US. building capacity to address environmental challenges | page 9

Environmental Finance Center Network OUR NETWORK The WSU EFC is one of 10 Environmental Finance Centers that collectively form the Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN). Located throughout the country, each EFC focuses on the challenges of the geographic region it serves. The WSU EFC serves U.S. EPA Region 7, which is headquartered in Kansas City and serves communities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. As a part of the EFC Network, we work on projects that extend beyond our region. • Learn more about the EFCN and our Smart Management for Small Drinking Water Systems project at efcnetwork.org. 10 wsu environmental finance center | 2021 annual report

2021 GOING VIRTUAL In 2021, the EFC continued to adapt trainings and workshops to online platforms which resulted in broader regional participation. This increased engagement provided the EFC opportunities to host water utility decision-making trainings Virtual Asset Management Training for board/city council members, webinars and workshops, and Sustainable Food Management Summits both online and in-person. We continue to adapt our education, outreach, and trainings to provide the best formats to engage with communities in our region and across the nation. Rates & Finance Training in a Kansas community building capacity to address environmental challenges | page 11

project highlights SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FOOD SUMMITS The WSU EFC planned and facilitated virtual Sustainable Management of Food Summits for Kansas City, St. Louis, and the Quad Cities. These Summits brought together food system stakeholders from each community to discuss topics relevant to their area. Discussions focused on the challenges that each face in reducing food loss and waste and getting best use out of excess food. Stakeholders in each community were engaged in the summit planning process: agenda development, presenter recruitment, and breakout session facilitation. • Learn more about upcoming Summits, view recordings, and find resources at wichita.edu/foodsummit. 12 wsu environmental finance center | 2021 annual report

project highlights NATIONAL ASSET MANAGEMENT The WSU EFC, in partnership with the Southwest EFC, is working with state drinking water primacy agencies to update their drinking water Capacity Development Strategies. State Capacity Development Strategies lay out training, technical assistance, and enforcement efforts to help ensure drinking water utilities have adequate Technical, Financial, and Managerial capacity to ensure long-term sustainability of safe The EFC developed a series of videos, training drinking water supplies. presentations, and documents to assist states with training utility staff and boards on the importance of So far, WSU EFC has assisted nine different state primacy Asset Management planning. These resources can be agencies. Long-term, this effort should help more water utilities customized to fit the state’s regulations. implement aspects of asset management planning in their operations, helping to maintain service levels, save resources, Download resources at wichita.edu/amboards. and protect public health. building capbuilding capaacitcity ty to address enviro address environmentonmental challenges | pal challenges | paage 13ge 13

project highlights COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY TOOL The Community Sustainability Tool is a planning resource for community leaders, mayors, public works directors, and community members. Many communities face difficult decisions about updating or replacing aging drinking water and wastewater utility infrastructure. Investments are necessary to provide customers with compliant, safe drinking water and sewage treatment. Infrastructure is expensive and it takes careful planning by community decision makers. When it is time to upgrade or improve water or wastewater infrastructure, this tool can help communities understand their ability to pay for these large investments over time. The Tool uses a combination of user-input and program-generated data to broadly forecast the community’s ability to sustain infrastructure investments in relation to the community’s median household income throughout the duration of the financing. The tool is available for Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. • Use the tool for your community at wichita.edu/communitysustainabilitytool. 14 wsu environmental finance center | 2021 annual report

project highlights WICHITA LITTER STUDY The Wichita Litter Study was designed to help stakeholders and decisions- makers understand sources of litter and littering behavior in the community so they can develop effective strategies for preventing and eliminating litter. To provide a snapshot of litter in Wichita, project volunteers collected, categorized, and quantified litter found in 12 municipal parks. In total, 1,765 pieces of litter greater than 4” in size were collected and categorized during collection events, and an additional 30 gallons of smaller materials were collected. Litter in Wichita can be reduced and eliminated by understanding that the approach to remediation and prevention is multifaceted. There are a range of opportunities for the city, the business community, nonprofit organizations, and individuals to collaborate and innovate to develop successful solutions to reducing litter. Volunteers at Riverside Park • Read the full report at wichita.edu/wichitalitterstudy. building capacity to address environmental challenges | page 15

project highlights WORK WITH TRIBAL NATIONS Providing technical assistance to tribal nations is an EFC priority. The EFC has provided asset management training to tribal water utilities staff and stakeholders, developed educational outreach materials, conducted water rate studies, and tested for lead in the drinking water at tribal schools and childcare facilities. In 2022, the EFC will develop outreach materials on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for tribal schools, create customized planning and marketing materials for household hazardous waste drop-off events, and work with utilities and schools to implement programs that promote careers in water and wastewater with activities, field trips, and internships. 16 wsu environmental finance center | 2021 annual report

contact us @WSUEFC @WSUEFC WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER WSU ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER @WSU_EFC www.wichita.edu/efc

For a full list of projects, events, and services, visit us at www.wichita.edu/efc. Some of the photos featured in this annual report were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.