INDIANA – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) recently welcomed five new members into the Clean Community Program. IDEM recognizes these municipalities for their commitment to making their communities cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable places to live. The new Clean Community Program members are:
- Chesterton
- Indianapolis
- Michigan City
- Porter County
- Terre Haute
“I’m proud to see even more communities stepping up to join Indiana’s Clean Community program,” said IDEM Commissioner Clint Woods. “By taking on meaningful environmental projects, these 25 participating municipalities will continue to help make Indiana an exceptional place to live and work.”
New members will begin working on Bronze Level projects. Members can then move on to Silver Level and Gold Level by completing additional projects that meet the program requirements and benefit the community.
The Clean Community Program allows municipalities to choose projects that fit their community’s sustainability goals. IDEM recognizes the many environmental challenges municipalities would like to tackle on a day-to-day basis are under limited budgets. Through this program, IDEM is creating a network of municipalities to assist one another, collaborate, connect them with resources, and recognize the communities’ successful achievements in completing the projects to address these challenges. The Clean Community Program can potentially help communities cut operating costs while improving the quality of life for residents.
Clean Community Program members and their achievement level:
Gold Tier:
Beech Grove
Silver Tier:
Brown County, Evansville, Fishers, Hobart, Richmond, Shelbyville, and Zionsville
Bronze Tier:
Bloomington, Chesterton, Fortville, Greencastle, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Lafayette, Lawrence, Merrillville, Michigan City, New Castle, New Chicago, Porter, Porter County, Terre Haute, Westfield, and Whitestown
About the Indiana Clean Community Program: Established by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) in the early 2000s, the Clean Community Program (previously called the Clean Community Challenge) recognizes Indiana counties, cities and towns that take a proactive, positive approach towards ensuring a better quality of life for all Hoosiers and a healthy economy by working to address community and social issues through sustainable environmental and wellness projects. Detailed information is available at on.IN.gov/cleancommunity.
