The Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition is hosting a briefing today, October 17, on Weatherization and State Energy Programs.  The event takes places at 1pm in SVC 203-02.  The briefing will explore how state governments and their private sector partners are implementing energy programs that save money and energy while creating jobs and helping low- and fixed-income Americans. State officials from Ohio, Maryland, and Maine will discuss how the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the State Energy Program (SEP) impact job creation, energy bill reduction, and enhanced energy security.  Speakers for this event include:

• David Terry, Executive Director, National Association of State Energy Officials  
• Arley Johnson, Director of Government Relations, National Association for State Community Services Programs
• JoAnn Choate, Program Manager, Maine State Housing Authority - Energy and Housing Services
• Ron Rees, Executive Director, Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development  
• Malcolm Woolf, Director, Maryland Energy Administration

The Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Water Environment Federation will host a briefing on October 28 from 10 - 11:30 AM in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC.  The briefing will inform Hill staff of new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) information on major sources of nutrients to streams, and on nutrient loading to rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and estuaries. USGS announced the roll-out of the new tool in a September 6 press announcement, "New Science to Help Water Managers Target Areas to Improve Water Quality."  More briefing details are available at the NEMWI's River Basin blog.  Speakers include:

• Alan Vicory, Executive Director of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, moderator
• Steve Preston, USGS NAWQA Hydrologic Systems Team  
• Saya Qualls, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Water Pollution Control.
• Wayne Anderson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

The Northeast-Midwest Institute's special event on Capitol Hill focused on opportunities to revitalize smaller older industrial cities in the NEMW region was a great success. The event was well-attended, and during the reception, Representative Welch (VT-At Large) offered remarks on the importance of bipartisan collaboration in Washington to meet the needs of small cities and to cultivate their considerable assets to the NEMW region's economy and culture. The reception was followed by a screening of "The Blood in This Town," a new documentary that chronicles a small NEMW regional town's drive to revitalize, and a vibrant panel discussion led by national, state, and local experts each working for the benefit of small cities.  The event was made possible by support from the State of Vermont's Department of Tourism and Marketing, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the German Marshall Fund.  Check out photos of the event here.