{"id":674,"date":"2018-07-09T16:58:13","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T20:58:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regionslead.org\/?p=674"},"modified":"2020-07-08T23:14:30","modified_gmt":"2020-07-08T23:14:30","slug":"2018-narc-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/narc.org\/2018\/07\/09\/2018-narc-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"2018 NARC Achievement Awards Winners"},"content":{"rendered":"

At every Annual Conference and Exhibition, NARC celebrates membership achievements of regional excellence and cooperation across the nation. This year\u2019s winners<\/a> exemplify many qualities that a 21st-century regional council needs to be successful, including innovation, adaptability, collaboration, and hard work. Read more about our 2018 NARC Major Metro, Medium Metro, and Rural Achievement Awards Winners below:<\/p>\n

Major Metro Winner: Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)
\nHeadquarters: Detroit, Michigan
\nProject: Water Resources Plan<\/em><\/h5>\n

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) won the 2018 Major Metro Achievement Award for their Water Resources Plan<\/em><\/a>. The plan focuses on three major pillars of water planning in the region: \u201cBlue Economy,\u201d Natural Resources, and Infrastructure. \u201cBlue Economy\u201d recognizes the importance of the region\u2019s water assets and supports water placemaking efforts to enhance water recreation opportunities and support the economic development of water-dependent industries. The Natural Resources pillar highlights threats to natural resources such as invasive species and prioritizes strategies to eliminate them, as well as protect wetlands, riparian corridors, and aquatic habitats. Finally, the Infrastructure pillar addresses the region\u2019s drinking water, wastewater, storm water, dams, and transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The plan\u2019s breadth and depth make it a very useful part of the region\u2019s toolkit for addressing water infrastructure needs. It outlines specific policy recommendations and actions related to protecting water resources in Southeast Michigan, many of which will be incorporated into SEMCOG\u2019s planning efforts, like their 2045 Regional Transportation Plan<\/em>. Implementation of the innovative Water Resources Plan <\/em>is already underway through several projects. Looking forward, SEMCOG will work with the state to map and inventory all existing and historical wetlands, helping inform decisions made about wetland restoration and protection. Congratulations to SEMCOG on their excellent Water Resources Plan<\/em>!<\/p>\n

Medium Metro Winner: Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG)
\nHeadquarters: Tulsa, Oklahoma
\nProject: Regional Advocacy Program<\/em><\/h5>\n

INCOG\u2019s 2018 Medium Metro Achievement Award-winning advocacy program<\/a> exemplifies regional cooperation and proves that unifying a regional message is more effective than individual efforts to pass legislation. This INCOG program is unique in its four-pronged approach to regional advocacy:<\/p>\n