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Northeast-Midwest Institute Weekly Update 
 June 14, 2010
In This Issue
Older Cities Policy Forum with Rep. Tsongas in Lowell, MA
Delaware River Conservation Event with Congressman Castle
June Mid-Atlantic Watersheds Update Released
Call for Brownfields Conference Session Proposals
Murkowski Resolution Defeated 53-47
Institute Works With NEMW Coalition and Rep. Tsongas to Convene Policy Forum in Lowell, MA

The Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition and the Northeast-Midwest Institute, in coordination with Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, will convene a policy forum on Saturday June 19, 2010. 
 
At the forum Congresswoman Tsongas will hear testimony from various experts about the role of federal policy in restoring economic prosperity and improving the overall livability of post-industrial cities.  Expert testimony will focus on issue areas including smart growth policies, historic preservation, and brownfield and vacant land re-use. 
 
Following the oral statements of each expert the Congresswoman will engage in a question and answer session to extract precise considerations for improving federal policies.  Immediately after the session, members of the audience will have the opportunity to meet and share success stories and challenges with the policy experts and staff from the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition and Institute.
 
The forum will be part of the Innovative Cities Conference 2010. For more information and a copy of the current agenda/speakers contact Greg Lewis at the Northeast-Midwest Institute, 202-464-4005.
Delaware River Conservation Event with Congressman Castle
On June 7th, Representative Mike Castle (DE) convened a roundtable of Delaware River and Bay stakeholders to discuss the needs, opportunities, priorities, and current conservation work in the Basin.  Following the discussion, the Congressman led a press conference along the banks of the Delaware River in New Castle, Delaware.  Rep. Castle was seeking input and looking to garner support for his bill, the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act of 2010, which is designed to encourage greater Basin-wide collaboration through non-regulatory means, and to provide resources for continued conservation efforts.

For more information contact Rachel Dawson the Northeast-Midwest Institute, 202-464-4005.
June Mid-Atlantic Watersheds Update Released
The June installment of monthly updates on Mid-Atlantic Watershed issues from the Northeast-Midwest Institute has been released. This edition includes information on:
  • Sanitary Sewer Overflow Rulemaking
  • Chesapeake Bay Executive Order Final Strategy
  • America's Great Outdoors Chesapeake Listening Session
  • Fish & Wildlife Service Coastal Program Legislation
  • Delaware River Basin Conservation Act Roundtable 
These updates are intended to be timely resources providing brief news clippings, legislative and policy information, and other information relevant to conservation and restoration efforts in the Mid-Atlantic.

For more information contact Rachel Dawson the Northeast-Midwest Institute, 202-464-4005.
Call for Session Proposals: Brownfields Conference 2011
The 14th National Brownfields Conference is coming to Philadelphia on April 3-5, 2011.  Cosponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), the National Brownfields Conference attracts more than five thousand registrants and hundreds of exhibitors.  The conference is the largest, most comprehensive event focused on cleaning up and redeveloping abandoned, underutilized, and potentially contaminated properties in the nation.  
 
Conference organizers are now accepting proposals for the more than 100 educational sessions.  The planning committee wants to encourage more interactive educational sessions in hopes to have at least 60 percent using the always popular marketplace/roundtable format and the newly established public dialogue/debate format.  To submit your session proposal by the deadline of July 2, 2010 go to www.brownfields2011.org. For more information please contact Julie Butler at jbutler@icma.org or see the conference website. 
Murkowski Resolution Defeated 53-47
A resolution (S.J. Res. 26) introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski to limit the EPA's regulatory authority over greenhouse gas emissions failed to pass in the Senate.  The vote leaves intact the EPA's ability to regulate green house gases under the Clean Air Act giving the Obama Administration power to regulate emissions without a climate/energy bill.  More can be found on ClimateWire via the New York Times.

Fore more information contact Fritz Ohrenschall, Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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