| Northeast-Midwest Institute Weekly Update |
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NEMW Coalition Co-Chairs Urge Release of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Funds
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Last week, 33 Senators, including Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition Co-chairs Olympia Snowe and Sherrod Brown, sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services, requesting that the Department "release LIHEAP funds as quickly and at as high of a level as possible under the current continuing resolution." The majority of signatories are legislators from the Northeast-Midwest states. On October 20, a group of Representatives from the House followed suit with a letter signed by NEMW Congressional Coalition Co-chairs Steven LaTourette and James McGovern; all other signatories represent the NEMW region. Their letter stated that "it is imperative that the Department of Health and Human Services immediately release as much LIHEAP funding as possible under the current continuing resolution." The current continuing resolution runs through November 18, 2011. See press releases from Coalition Co-Chairs Sen. Olympia Snowe, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Rep. Steven LaTourette, and Rep. James McGovern.
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NEMWI to Host Small City Transportation Solutions Briefing
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The Northeast-Midwest Institute will host a briefing on Small City Transportation Solutions on November 1, 2011, 10:00-11:30am at the Capitol Visitor Center, room H-137. This informational briefing will: address unique transportation challenges facing small cities; discuss how federal agencies and policymakers are taking--and plan to take--small city transportation issues into account; and highlight transportation projects in small cities within the Northeast-Midwest region. Panelists include: - Matt Dalbey, PhD, Director, Federal & State Division, Office of Sustainable Communities at U.S. EPA
- Matt Chase, Executive Director, National Association of Development Organizations
- Bryan Smith, Director of Planning, Portage Area Regional Transit Authority
- Robert Morris, Senior Project Manager, National Gateway Freight Rail Project, FHWA Eastern Federal Lands Office
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DOT Announces $928.5 Million for Bus and Rail Projects, Half Goes to NEMW States
| The Department of Transportation announced that it will provide $928.5 million for rail, transit, and clean bus projects. About half of those funds, $469.6 million, will go to Northeast-Midwest states for a variety of transportation projects, especially the replacement and updating of substantial numbers of buses and bus depots. The funds come from three Federal Transit Authority programs--Bus Livability, State of Good Repair, and Alternatives Analysis--meant to improve infrastructure and sustainability. An article about the funding is available from E&E Greenwire and the full list of projects funded is available here.
For more information, contact Fritz Ohrenschall, Research Associate at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Deems EPA Brownfields Program a Success
| At an October 19 hearing, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee agreed that the EPA's Brownfields program had been a success. "These cleanups have created more than 72,000 jobs and attracted more than $17 billion in private investment," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) "Once brownfields are rehabilitated, they often spark neighborhood revitalization, boost property values and make communities more attractive places to live, work and do business." Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) agreed, stating, "I have been very critical of the EPA but I think this is one program that has worked very well." The program has been fully funded even though its authorization lapsed in 2006. Full coverage of the hearing is available at E&E Daily.
Learn more about Brownfields Redevelopment by registering for an upcoming webinar on "Brownfields Redevelopment, Community Revitalization, and Regional Planning: Making It Work Together." Smart Growth America and NALGEP will host the webinar on Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 at 4:00 PM ET.
For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Research Associate at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Great Lakes Sustainability Summit this Week
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The National Brownfield Association will host the Great Lakes Sustainability Summit this week. The Summit will take place on October 25 and 26 at the Jenner & Block Conference Center in Chicago. The event aims to help participants develop new contacts, identify new business opportunities, and learn about projects and programs that are making the Great Lakes region more sustainable. For more information, see the program agenda. Register for the event here.
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