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Northeast-Midwest Institute Weekly Update 
 June 21, 2010
In This Issue
Testimony Available from Rep. Tsongas' Older Cities Field Hearing
Agencies Propose to Expand CRA to Support Neighborhood Stabilization Programs
Call for Brownfields Conference Session Proposals, Deadline July 30
Testimony Available from Rep. Tsongas Field Hearing in Lowell, MA

Seven experts (below) provided oral and written testimony to Congresswoman Niki Tsongas at a Congressional field hearing in Lowell, MA on June 19, 2010.  The event was convened by the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition in coordination with the office of Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. The experts focused their remarks on the role of federal policy in advancing innovative land re-use and sustainability in mid-sized older industrial cities. 

Experts and the topic of their remarks:
Alan Mallach, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program of The Brookings Institution
Reimagining land use in America's distressed older cities-the Federal Policy Role
The Honorable Parris Glendening, Former Governor of the State of Maryland and President of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute
The role of state and federal policy in advancing sustainability, livability and smart growth
Dr. Alan Hecht, Director for Sustainable Development, Office of Research and Development, at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The role of EPA and the Office of Research and Development in promoting urban sustainability and sustainable development
Bob Van Meter,  Executive Director of Greater Boston LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)
Building neighborhood capacity for community revitalization/climate change and the agenda for America's cities
Wendy Nicholas, Director of the Northeast Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Historic preservation as a means of creating sustainable cities: greening of historic properties, rehabilitation and energy retrofit tax credits
Andre Leroux, Director, Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance
Enhancing local successes in smart growth and sustainability-considerations for federal policies
John Schneider, Executive Vice-President,Mass INC.
A policy agenda for innovation and economic opportunity in "Gateway Cities." 
 
The written testimony and short bios of each expert can be found on the NEMW website.
 
For more information contact Greg Lewis at the Northeast-Midwest Institute, 202-464-4005.
Agencies Propose to Expand Scope of Community Reinvestment Act to Encourage Depository Institution Support for Neighborhood Stabilization Program Activities
From the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency- On June 17 the federal bank and thrift regulatory agencies announced a proposed change to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations to support stabilization of communities affected by high foreclosure levels.  The proposed change specifically would encourage depository institutions to support the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Under the NSP, HUD has provided funds to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations for the purchase and redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed properties.  The agencies' proposal would encourage depository institutions to make loans and investments and provide services to support NSP activities in areas with HUD-approved plans.

Link to full news release from June 17, 2010. http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2010-66.htm
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Brownfields Conference 2011: Call for Session Proposals, New Deadline July 30
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 30, 2010 go to www.brownfields2011.org. For more information please contact Julie Butler at jbutler@icma.org or see the conference website. 
10th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference Call for Session Proposals
The Local Government Commission (LGC) is conducting a formal Call for Session Proposals (CFSP) for the 2011 New Partners for Smart Growth Conference program from May 17th through June 30th. The submittal review process will take place from July through late-August 2010, and those selected for inclusion in the final program will be notified by early September, if not sooner.

If you are interested in submitting a session proposal for consideration for the 2011 conference program, please carefully read the CFSP Instructions document. Then, complete the entire submittal form and submit it via email to mbarton@lgc.org. Incomplete submittal forms will not be considered. If you would like to submit more than one proposal, you will need to use a separate CFSP submittal form for each.


All submissions will receive an email acknowledging receipt by the LGC. If you do not receive such an email within 72 hours of submitting your proposal, please contact Melissa Harper-Barton at mbarton 'AT' lgc 'DOT' org to confirm your proposal has been received.
  • Download Submittal Instructions Word | PDF
  • Download Submittal Form Word | PDF
Fore more information contact Fritz Ohrenschall at the Northeast-Midwest Institute or Melissa Harper-Barton at the Local Government Commission.
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