The Vision Goals

Greenville uses an open and systematic process to evaluate the environmental consequences of all major projects and decisions and implements a community-based Environmental Management System.

Partner with DHEC, EPA, other agencies, business and private partners to secure funding and technical support.

Identify Greenville's most significant environmental issues.

Identify the legal requirements that apply.

Identify measurable targets and identify improvement projects which incorporate community best practices.

Track and report progress to county leadership and the public through continuous feedback tools including web-based systems.

Air quality in Greenville is safe and healthy for all residents.

By 2007, air quality will meet or exceed EPA's air quality standards.

Emissions of CO2 will decrease by 10% adjusted for growth. These reductions will be achieved in transportation emissions, energy conservation throughout Greenville, and renewable energy development.

Greenville will manage its water resources in a way that provides excellent drinking water to all county residents, treats wastewater in a manner that protects waterways and the interests of downstream users, maintains flows sufficient to sustain a healthy aquatic ecosystems.

All water users will utilize advanced technologies to reduce consumption of drinking water, optimize water recycling, and use best available technology to minimize the production of wastewater.

Greenville's wastewater treatment plants will reduce contaminants entering surface water, consistently meet all permit limits, maintain water quality standards in the receiving streams, and achieve the goal that all county waters are fishable and swimmable.

Greenville's municipal and industrial dischargers will eliminate 90% of stormwater and ground water that leaks into wastewater collection systems, and will eliminate wastewater leakage and overflows from its sewer systems.

Greenville will implement measures to reduce the sue of drinking quality water for landscape irrigation and industrial purposes where not required.

Greenville will implement measures to improve erosion control and reduce sediment carried in our streams.

Greenville will implement programs to reduce and eliminate the effects of all categories of non-point source pollutants from urban, residential, commercial, industrial, government, and institutional properties.

Greenville will implement programs to programs to protect its streams, wetlands and riparian ecosystems, and to restore and improve impaired components of our waters.

Greenville is considered a model community for waste avoidance, reuse and recycling within the southeast.

Businesses in Greenville will reduce waste by implementing returnable packaging programs and waste reduction programs.

Commercial business will offer "low-waste" alternatives to current packaging.

Waste entering county landfills will be reduced by 10% per person through citizen awareness and programs to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.

Greenville will create new markets for recycled materials by recruiting businesses that provide recycling services, and business that use recycled materials in the manufacture of new products.

Greenville promotes, protects and enhances natural habitats for the benefit of native wildlife and for its citizens.

Greenville will designate, develop and protect greenways, buffer areas, undisturbed areas, and parks, so that wildlife can coexist with the human population.

Greenville will identify all habitats that are "special" in terms of having unique or especially sensitive ecosystems, threatened or endangered flora and fauna, exceptional natural geologic features, or extraordinary potential and worthiness for protection for future generations.

Residents, industry, and commercial property owners will be encouraged to enhance private property to provide food, water and shelter for wildlife, while reducing their costs of grounds and facilities management, and their impacts on the environment.

A network of wildlife sanctuaries and preservation areas, and special wildlife management areas (e.., heritage trust areas) will be designated in the county and managed in a way that maximizes habitat benefit for wildlife, and maintenance of biological diversity not only to benefit natural communities but also to serve as indicators of good environmental health to meet human needs.

Greenville will incorporate into its storm water and water quality management programs the restoration and enhancement of streamside riparian zones and wetland areas to provide a network of green contiguous ribbons of habitat vital to wildlife in urban and suburban areas.