| Northeast-Midwest Institute Weekly Update |
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January Mid-Atlantic Watersheds Update Released
| The January installment of monthly updates on Mid-Atlantic Watershed issues from the Northeast-Midwest Institute has been released. This edition includes information on:
- Hudson River Superfund Progress
- Chesapeake Bay TMDL
- FY11, FY12 Appropriations
- Chesapeake Bay Legislation
- EPA and DOI Staff Changes
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. All editions will also be available on the NEMWI website.
For more information contact Rachel Dawson, Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
University of Minnesota's Water Resources Center Releases Minnesota Water Sustainability Framework
| On January 15, the University of Minnesota's Water Resources Center released a report designed to protect and preserve Minnesota's lakes, rivers, and groundwater for the 21st century and beyond. Entitled "Minnesota Water Sustainability Framework," the report was completed in response to a charge by the 2009 Minnesota Legislature, and is meant "to serve as a legislative roadmap with timelines and benchmarks for future investments in water resources, including the estimated $86 million a year dedicated for the protection of water as a result of Minnesota's Clean Water, Land and Legacy Act," according to a Center media release.
In preparing the Framework, its authors surveyed Minnesotans' attitudes and beliefs about water through more than 4,500 surveys and during nine listening sessions around the state. The Framework includes specific recommendations to help assure a sustainable water resources future, including:
- A comprehensive survey of Minnesota's ground water resources to understand what's available and how our current withdrawals are impacting the long-term supply;
- An overhaul of the state's water permitting process that would include an electronic database and a method of calculating the ecological impact of water withdrawals;
- A mandatory statewide plan to decrease nutrient runoff from agricultural sources-a key to the plan being farmer-led, performance-based Agricultural Management Areas organized along the state's 45 watershed districts that would provide technical resources and incentives;
- Promotion of "green" chemistry through incentives for industry and consumer education and advocacy to prevent future water contamination;
- Integrated water and land sustainability planning at the watershed level; and
- The restructuring of municipal water pricing to more accurately reflect the ecological, as well as infrastructure, costs of water use.
The report and additional information are available at this University website, and can be downloaded as a 36.8 MB-sized pdf file. Through January 31, the public can provide comments and feedback on the Minnesota Water Sustainability Framework report on this web site.
For more information contact Mark Gorman, Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
NEMW Region Loses Clout in U.S. House of Representatives
| On December 21, 2010 the U.S. Census Bureau unveiled a new set of state and national population numbers that will reshape the U.S. House of Representatives Seat Map in 2010. The Northeast-Midwest region will lose House seats, and sunbelt states will gain them. Fewer seats in Congress means diminished power within the region's Congressional delegation to address unique NEMW regional issues, unless the region's delegation works effectively together across state and party lines. More facts on these changes can be found in a newly-released brief by the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
For more information contact Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
Registration Open for Brownfields 2011 Conference
| Registration is open for the 2011 National Brownfields Conference which takes place April 3-5, 2011 in Philadelphia (click here to register). The conference is the largest, most comprehensive event focused on cleaning up and redeveloping abandoned, underutilized, and potentially contaminated properties in the nation. There is no better deal in the redevelopment marketplace than Brownfields 2011 because registration is FREE! The conference is cosponsored by the U.S. EPA and ICMA, and attracts more than six thousand registrants and hundreds of exhibitors.
Brownfields 2011 will offer:
- More than 100 lively panel sessions, interactive roundtable discussions and engaging town hall meetings
- Real-world projects showcased in mobile workshops and tours
- Exciting plenary speakers and networking events
- More than 200 solutions-oriented product and service providers in the Exhibit Hall
- Film screenings, volunteer activities and other special events
- The Economic Redevelopment Forum
- The Environmental Justice Caucus
- Regional EPA Open Houses
Whether you're a newcomer to the world of economic and environmental redevelopment, or a seasoned professional looking to make new connections and increase your business, Brownfields 2011 offers something for everyone.
For more information visit the conference website at www.brownfields2011.org.
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