Greetings!
With this newsletter, the Northeast-Midwest Institute aims to communicate with all those passionate about restoring older cities. Revitalizing older cities is a complex, difficult task that requires cooperation among a diverse group of stakeholders. This job requires re-thinking the way urban centers are planned, and re-building large parts of urban infrastructure so that overlooked, oft-forgotten older cities can be re-claimed as centers of socioeconomic innovation.
The dynamic nature of this task requires the concerted effort of countless groups - municipal, state and federal agencies, urban planners, advocacy groups, and elected officials - just to name a few. Local successes are the result of many hands. Unfortunately, here in Washington, lawmakers often struggle to capture and replicate the catalysts for success in local efforts on a national scale. So this is our mission - to bridge the gap between successful local initiatives and federal lawmaking. There is no reason that small-scale success can't become large scale policy. The experiences of local efforts can inform the thinking of those interested in national policies and programs. It is imperative that the "laboratories" of practice share insights to educate policymakers. |
| From the Executive Director: Restoring a Vital Link
Chairman Oberstar's Transportation Bill Delivers on Promised Changes
by J.Thomas Wolfe, Executive Director
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 The states of the Northeast and the Midwest have long suffered from an inadequate transportation system beset with bottlenecks and lacking systemic vision for fostering the growth and renewal that the region so desperately needs. The expiration of the current federal surface transportation authorization presents us with a unique opportunity to change this situation.
The opening gun has just sounded in what will be a tough political fight to move beyond the status quo. On June 22nd, Chairman Jim Oberstar of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced a groundbreaking new piece of legislation that would revamp federal transportation policy in significant ways.
It would restructure the programs of the US Department of Transportation around holistic national goals and priorities, rather than continue the current disjointed and highly political method of selecting transportation projects. It would require the consideration of environmental sustainability - for the first time - in the prioritization of these projects. It would leverage scarce federal dollars through the creation of an infrastructure bank. It would measure the success or failure of projects that receive federal monies by creating a set of performance metrics to assure and document that these investments are wise investments. It would also expressly focus DOT efforts on its funding to enhance the livability of local communities-- an essential ingredient in transforming the metropolitan centers of the Northeast and the Midwest into more competitive and desirable cities.
In sum, the Chairman has laid down his marker. His bill addresses the federal role in our transportation future in terms of "investment," rather than just "spending." It heralds the creation of jobs and the renewal of the federal government's commitment to revamping a system long in decline.
While the introduction of the Chairman's bill signals the beginning - not the end - of the legislative process, it is heartening to see that the House will be working from a draft that recognizes the extent of the change required. The older industrial cities of our region have been in need of this medicine for years.
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| Independence Day District
Work Period June 29 to July 3 Contact Your Representative!
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| This
is a perfect time to make arrangements to meet with your Representative and
Senators to tell them about your community revitalization successes and
challenges. Federal policy does impact your community, but lawmakers need to
hear from you to formulate effective initiatives. Look up your Representative and Senators' contact information and make
an appointment to meet with them this week! |
Rejuvenating older industrial cities with green infrastructure
Congressional Field Hearing in Philadelphia and HR 2222 The Green Communities Act by Greg Lewis, Policy Analyst
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 In May, the Northeast-Midwest Institute organized a Congressional Field Hearing designed to investigate the role of federal policy in the implementation of green infrastructure. Experts at the hearing, convened by Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-PA, pictured right) and Chaka Fattah (D-PA), testified about the primary aspects of greener engineering practices and opportunities for green collars jobs, and discussed how provisions of HR2222 The Green Communities Act could greatly benefit urban areas.
click here to read the full article on the hearing
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| Great Lakes Metros and the New Opportunity
Remaking
Policy and Practice in a Time of Transformation
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Over 150 participants showed up for the summit on Great Lakes Metros and the New Opportunity at Buffalo State College on June 18-19 for a lively and engaging exploration of how
Great Lakes Metros were grappling with the opportunities and challenges
associated with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. A unique blend of policymakers, state and
local officials, urban advocates, and community-based stakeholders explored
successes, challenges, and obstacles faced by Great Lakes Metros as they implement
recovery programs. Policymakers discussed
with stakeholders what works so that federal programs and future federal
budgets could incorporate lessons learned from stimulus implementation.
Participants addressed questions such as: What are the challenges of using ARRA
money to support long-term goals? What structures or elements of ARRA
actually constrained, rather than supported, the development of innovative
solutions to urban challenges? Which elements were successful but could
be enhanced? The Northeast-Midwest
Institute joined Buffalo State College and the Partnership for the Public Good
in helping the Great Lakes Urban Exchange organize the summit.
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Northeast-Midwest Issue Brief Compares House and Senate Clean Water Reauthorization Bills
The Senate Clean Water Act Reauthorization by Diane DeVaul, Director of Policy
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The Senate Clean Water Act Reauthorization, S.
1005, as passed by the authorizing committee includes a combined sewer overflow (CSO)
provision identical to the one sponsored previously by Senators Lautenberg, Voinovich,
Whitehouse, Menendez, Brown and Collins. The need for CSO mitigation in
the Northeast-Midwest region is substantial. The EPA's 2004 survey found that
$54.8 billion would be needed to control CSOs, and that 75 percent of that
total is accounted for by the needs of seven Northeastern and Midwestern
states: Illinois ($10.1 billion), New York ($6.6 billion), Ohio ($6.3 billion),
Indiana ($5.4 billion), Pennsylvania ($4.6 billion), Michigan ($4.3 billion)
and New Jersey ($3.8 billion). For additional information comparing the Senate Reauthorization to that of the House, see the Institute's issue brief on reauthorization of the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds.
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We hope you have enjoyed the first of our "Re-Think, Re-Claim, Re-Build Our Older Cities" Newsletters. It is our goal to provide you with the best policy analysis and up-to-date information about important legislation and programs aimed at helping our region.
Sincerely,
Greg Lewis
Greg Lewis, Policy Analyst
Northeast-Midwest Institute |
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| Images of Success! |
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Send us your personal photos and short description of successful redevelopment in your community. We would love to be able to spotlight successful brownfield reuse, blight removal, and derelict property rejuvenation efforts with policymakers in Washington. Your older city successes are the foundations of better federal policy!
email us your photos!
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