275611 external_news 1392076223 1475893616 Prior to presenting the 2013 "Overall Excellence in Smart Growth Award" to the Atlanta BeltLine in Washington D.C., EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said, "There is no difference between economic growth and environmental protection as long as we agree that we're serving the same public." Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed accepted the award on behalf of the Atlanta Beltline, which grew out of Ryan Gravel's (MCP/MArch '99) master's thesis completed at Georgia Tech. EPA Chief of Staff Gwen Keyes-Fleming closed out the ceremony by saying that while the work by all of the award winners was clearly changing their local communities, “I want you to know that you have also changed us, here at EPA.” The award honors projects that represent creative, sustainable initiatives that better protect the health and the environment while strengthening local economies.

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