Rivers as Economic Engines
 
Fay Hartman1
 
1Conservation Director, Colorado River Basin Program, American Rivers, Washington, DC and Denver, CO, 616-990-0049; fhartman@americanrivers.org   
 
Fay will present findings from American Rivers’ report “Rivers as Economic Engines.” She will talk about how public investments in natural infrastructure, river restoration and healthy rivers can create jobs, strengthen local communities, improve public health, and address longstanding injustices and harm caused by a long-term lacRivers as Economic Enginesk of investment in Black, Indigenous, Latino, and low-income communities. Fay will talk about the importance of public funding for healthy rivers and restoration projects in Colorado and beyond. She will discuss different types of public funding and examples of where communities have come together to develop and raise public funds for river health and restoration projects. Attendees will learn about economic information related to natural infrastructure, river restoration and watershed health and the importance of public funding for river health and ways communities can build and leverage public funding.