The EPA recently announced the winners of its Smart Growth Awards program, a program that ranks national cities and communities on metrics of green development and environmental design sensitivity.  The program also ranks urban planning elements such as density and compact community development.  The recent winners are: Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, NYC, Baltimore and 20 rural Maine communities. NYC came out on top this year with increased bike paths and carved out public spaces as key improvements. “New York City has achieved a relatively small carbon footprint, given its size, through its commitment to creating compact and walkable neighborhoods” the EPA said.

Portland won EPA recognition for its “Making the Greatest Place” growth plan which “…calls for maintaining connections with nature, preserving existing neighborhoods, strengthening employment and industrial areas, and concentrating growth in designated centers.” In Maine, 20 towns linked by Route 1 collaborated in an effort to preserve the region’s rural character, while in San Francisco, a seedy alleyway South of Market area was turned into vibrant public space lined with restaurants, shops, and a farmers market. Finally, Baltimore won for a green building design that rehabilitated an historic building into a mixed-use residential and commercial space that revitalized the surrounding neighborhood.

With Cambridge and/or Boston’s ever-increasing commitment to sustainability, let’s hope that we make the list next time!