| Northeast-Midwest Institute Weekly Update |
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NEMWI Issues Note to Coalitions on Federal Spending and Taxation
| The Northeast-Midwest Institute issued a note to the Northeast-Midwest Congressional and Senate coalitions entitled "Getting to the Bottom of Federal Spending and Taxation in the Northeast-Midwest Region". This Note to the Coalitions provides an explanation of available federal taxation and spending data and the characteristic position of many Northeast-Midwest states as "donor" states--states that receive fewer federal dollars than they pay in federal income and other taxes. The Note does so by considering a case example: the State of New Jersey.
For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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The Older Industrial Cities (OIC) Working Group Meets at NEMWI
| The Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities (TFN) convened a meeting at NEMWI's offices on May 11th of eight groups working to restore prosperity in America's Older Industrial Cities. TFN organized funders in 2006 to provide resources to educational, advocacy, and other organizations that focus on the transportation, land use, and economic development needs of these cities. (See their site for more information.) This meeting represents part of TFN's five-year review of OIC work, and included discussion of both results and emerging opportunities for further work. The wide range of funded organizations represented at this meeting included NEMWI, Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, Reconnecting America, Good Jobs First, the Center for Community Progress, the Brookings Institution, and TFN.
For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Northeast Corridor and Midwest Receive Major High-Speed Rail Grants
| For the first time, the Northeast Corridor (NEC), running from Washington, DC to Boston, MA was awarded funding through the Department of Transportation's high-speed and intercity passenger rail program. The $795 million given to the NEC will be split between Amtrak, Maryland, New York, and Rhode Island. Amtrak's portion will be used to increase speeds (to 160 mph) along a 24-mile stretch between Morrisville, PA and New Brunswick, NJ, making it the fastest rail segment in the country. Other changes include construction to allow Amtrak trains to bypass the Harold Interlocking rail junction outside of New York, as well as future capacity and reliability improvements. The Midwest region received approximately $400 million to improve service between Chicago, IL and St. Louis, MO and service between Detroit, MI and Kalamazoo, MI and $268 million to purchase rail equipment. The goal is to bring speeds up to 110 miles per hour on those tracks to reduce trip times, enhance safety, and add capacity. The press release can be viewed on the DOT website.
For more information, contact Fritz Ohrenschall, Research Associate at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Demands Cleanup of Chicago River
| Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) demanded that Illinois' EPA update the state's water quality standards in accordance with Clean Water Act protections. The order, which applies to the Cal-Sag Channel and Little Calumet River in addition to the Chicago River, demands that stretches of the waterways must be clean enough for "recreation in and on the water." Great Lakes water quality is a priority of NEMWI. Read more about this development here.
For more information, contact Leah Konrady, Director, Great Lakes Washington Program.
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