Richmond, Indiana's Environmental Sustainability Commission is rolling out its plans for the future.
The volunteer organization was created last spring by the mayor. Chair Stephanie Hays-Mussoni says the commission is focusing on education to improve water quality, recycling efforts and other environmental programs.
"We already have regulations and rules in our city and so we're working to bring those into focus so that people understand what they are and how they work. But, as a group, we're not an enforcing entity by any means. We're here strictly for education and to help collaborate and to help aid the city in different decision making," she says.
The Commission is also participating in Indiana's Comprehensive Local Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) Community Challenge. That involves increasing walking and biking trails, collecting and disposing of medicines to keep them out of waterways, among other goals.