Congressman Turner and Northeast-Midwest Institute Release Report on Federal Role in Foreclosure Crisis
In late August 2009, Congressmen Michael Turner (R-OH), C0-Chair of the Revitalizing Older Cities Congressional Task Force, coordinated with the Northeast-Midwest Institute to convene a policy forum in Dayton, OH. The objective of the forum was to analyze the federal role in addressing the nation's surge in foreclosures--especially in communities already struggling from loss of population and traditional employment opportunities. A complete report, The Impact of the Housing Crisis on Local Communities and the Federal Response, has now been released and contains information on participating experts, their written remarks and concise policy recommendations.
On a related topic, Thursday, February 25, the Domestic Policy subcommittee of House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is holding a hearing on the foreclosure crisis. During the hearing, called "Foreclosures Continue: What Needs to Change in the Administration's Response," Congressman Turner, who sits on the subcommittee, will likely discuss findings from the Dayton-forum report. The Institute will provide printed copies of the report at the hearing taking place at 2 PM in Rayburn 2154.
For more information contact Diane DeVaul or Greg Lewis at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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DOT Announces TIGER Grant Recipients
The Department of Transportation announced recpients for its stimulus funded TIGER Grant program. TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) is a competitive grant program described by Ray LaHood as one that "help[s] build high-priority innovative transportation projects that were difficult to fund through traditional programs--projects that create jobs, stimulate economic activity, and help develop livable communities". The program proved very popular receiving $59.07 billion in requests for $1.5 billion in grants.
The projects funded a wide variety of transportation modes, many of which are more difficult to fund with standard Surface Transportation Program funding. The three largest recipients were freight railroad projects aimed at alleviating bottlenecks. Streetcars were also a winning mode with 4 projects helping to create or expand street car networks. Two projects were also funded which will build city pedestrian and cyclist networks attempting to connect low income areas to job centers. You can see the full list of grantees at the DOT website.
For more information, contact Fritz Ohrenschall, at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition Trade Adjustment Assistance Program Briefing Please join the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition and the Senate Manufacturing Task Force in coordination with the American Business Council for a briefing on the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program on February 24 at 10 a.m. in 2325 Rayburn.
Operated through the Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration, the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Firms program helps businesses adjust to foreign competition and improve manufacturing competitiveness. This program, which is critical to the sustainability and growth of America's manufacturing sector, is operated by TAA Centers, all of whom have been invited to the briefing. A full list of these centers is available online.
Speakers for the event include: - Bryan Borlik - Director, Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms - Economic Development Administration, Department Of Commerce
- William Bujalos - Director - Mid Atlantic Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (Blue Bell, PA)
- Debbie Flood - President - Melron Corporation (Schofield, WI)
- David Hansberger - Director -Midwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (Chicago, IL)
- Thomas C. Capps - President - Capps Shoe Company, Inc (Lynchburg, VA)
- Marla Gorges - Director - Southeast Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (Atlanta, GA)
- Pate Huguley - President - West Point Industries (West Point, GA)
- Robert S. Taylor - Executive Director - American Business Council Inc.
We hope you will be able to come learn more about the program and the impact it can have on companies in your District. For more information, contact Mary Cronin, at the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition.
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Series of fFree Public Colloquia on New York City's Waterfront and Harbor
New York's future waterfront in 1609 was an arcadian shore of forests, wetlands, beaches, and sand bars. That landscape is lost forever, and by the mid-20th Century, the city was "walled off" from its shoreline by wharves, railroads, highways, power plants, and waste facilities. As maritime activities have moved elsewhere, the vision of a post-industrial, neo-natural, and people-centered waterfront have abounded. And, under the guidance of PlaNYC and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, the transformation of New York's waterfront is in full swing.
This colloquium series, taking place on Feb. 24, March 17, April 7, and April 28 will celebrate the transformation progress to date and highlight what remains to be done.
For more information visit the event's website at: http://www.cunysustainablecities.org/.
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Great Lakes Day in Washington The Northeast-Midwest Institute is co-hosting the annual Great Lakes Day breakfast, along with the Great Lakes Commission, in Washington, DC. The event will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24th and is an opportunity for regional advocates to meet with Members of Congress and their staff to discuss the Great Lakes. To register, go to http://www.glc.org/greatlakesday/
For more information contact Joy Mulinex, Director, Great Lakes Taskforce.
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Great Waters Hearing The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a Great Waters Hearing on the Great Lakes, Long Island Sound, Puget Sound, Columbia River, and Lake Tahoe. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 24th at 9:30a.m. in 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
For more information contact Joy Mulinex, Director, Great Lakes Taskforce.
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Pallone-Sestak-Grijalva Will "Push to Renew the Brownfields Program Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pennsylvania); and Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Arizona) have introduced H.R. 4188 - Brownfield Cleanup Enhancement Act, a bill to reauthorize the EPA Brownfields Program. The bill, as currently drafted, is a simple reauthorization, increasing funding levels from $200 million (original 2003 authorization level) to $600 (FY 2015) for the 104(K) site assessment and cleanup program, and increasing funding from $50 million (original 2003 authorization level) to $120 million (FY 2015) for the 128(a) brownfields assistance to the states program. Representatives Pallone and Sestak's offices have indicated that the bill is a placeholder for a more comprehensive bill.
Rep. Pallone, in Plainfield, New Jersey for an event highlighting the recent $1,000,000 brownfields grant to Plainfield, said he would "Push to renew the Brownfields Program." He added "At current funding levels, EPA can only fund about one third of the applicants for Federal brownfields grants; they have turned away approximately 800 applicants over the past two year. That is why I am working in Congress to increase funding for EPA's brownfields program. I will be introducing a Brownfields Reauthorization bill in the coming weeks that will significantly increase the funding level for this program over the next few years."
For more information, contact Evans Paull, 202-329-4282, at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Asian Carp Hearings The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will each hold a hearing on Asian carp on Thursday, Feb. 25th. The Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing will begin at 10:30 a.m. in 366 Dirksen. The Environment and Public Works hearing will begin at 2:30 p.m. in 406 Dirksen.
For more information contact Joy Mulinex, Director, Great Lakes Taskforce.
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Green Jobs on Brownfields Case Studies and Models |
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USDA Agricultural Research Service's Water Forum The USDA's Agricultural Research Service's Water Forum will be held in St. Louis, Missouri on March 2. Information on the meeting is available at http://watershowcase.mwa.ars.usda.gov. Forum discussion topics will include: - Managing land to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in water
- Pesticides, pathogens, and pharmaceuticals in water
- Water management practices to enhance agriculture, nursery, and other specialty crops
- Conservation practices and their impact on water quality decisions
For more information, contact Mark Gorman, at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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NRC Committee on Economic and Environmental Impacts of Increasing Biofuel Production Session
The National Research Council's next open session of the Committee on Economic and Environmental Impacts of Increasing Biofuel Production will be held March 5(Friday), 2010 from 1:00 PM to 6:40 PM. Information about the Committee and its project can be found here. Persons interested in attending this open session should contact:
Karen L. Imhof, Administrative Assistant, Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources at the National Research Council 500 Fifth Street, NW (Keck WS633) Washington, DC 20001. Phone: 202-334-3507 / Fax: 202-334-1978 / Email: kimhof@nas.edu
For more information, contact Mark Gorman, at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Administration Details Healthy Food Financing Initiative
"The Obama Administration today released details of an over $400 million Healthy Food Financing Initiative, which will bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and rural communities across America. The initiative was announced today in Philadelphia by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The two cabinet members appeared with First Lady Michelle Obama, who recently launched the Let's Move! campaign to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. The initiative is a partnership between the Departments of Treasury, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services." You can find the full press release here.
For more information, contact Diane DeVaul, at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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