| Northeast-Midwest Institute Weekly Update |
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NEMWI Releases "2012 Update on the Federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities"
| Much of the national program activity coordinated by the Federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities (between HUD, DOT, EPA) in 2010 and 2011 occurred in the Northeast-Midwest region. In the fall of 2011, the Northeast-Midwest Institute issued a Note to the Coalitions on the Partnership - its history, grant programs, and FY2010 NEMW grantees. This new Note details funding or technical assistance awarded through FY2011 grants to entities in the NEMW region. It also tracks the distribution of the grants and/or technical assistance from the three federal agencies involved in the Partnership. Northeast-Midwest grantees received approximately 42% of the total Partnership program activity for which award amounts are available for FY2011.
For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst at NEMWI.
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Senator Leahy Leads Effort To Set $3.3 Billion for CDBG Formula Grant
| NEMW Senate Coalition Member Senator Leahy (D-VT) is requesting $3.3 billion for CDBG formula funds for FY 2013 through a "Dear Colleague" letter he is circulating. Senators Landrieu (LA), Harkin (IA), Wyden (OR), Coons (DE), Lieberman (CT), Kerry (MA), Whitehouse (RI), Franken (MN), Gillibrand (NY), Menendez (NJ), Merkley (OR), Bill Nelson (FL), and Stabenow (MI) have signed thus far. A similar effort is underway on the House side with Congressmen Robert A. Brady (PA) and Lou Barletta (PA) preparing to send a bipartisan House CDBG "Dear Colleague" support letter to House T-HUD Appropriations Chairman Tom Latham (IA) and Ranking Member John Olver (MA) with 135 House member signatures on Monday, March 19. The Administration is requesting the FY 2012 level of funding for FY 2013 ($2.948 billion). Funding for the CDBG program has been cut by more than 25% over the last two years; it was funded at $3.99 billion in FY 2010.
For more information, contact Colin Wellenkamp, Director, Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative at NEMWI.
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Urban Waters Federal Partnership Ambassadors Program to Support the Revitalization of 4 Northeast-Midwest Waterways
| The Urban Waters Federal Partnership, made up of 11 federal agencies, has announced that seven localities will engage in the Urban Water Ambassadors Program. Through this program, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and other local partners will work to accelerate and coordinate on-the-ground projects that are critical to improving water quality and public health, restoring forest resources, and fostering community stewardship in urban watersheds. Four out of seven chosen waterways are located in the Northeast-Midwest region: the Anacostia River watershed (Washington, D.C. and Maryland), the Patapsco River watershed (Baltimore, Maryland), the Bronx and Harlem River watersheds (New York City), and Northwest Indiana. Each of the pilot locations was selected due to the strong local and community leadership spearheading restoration efforts underway. See the full NALGEP press release.
For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst at NEMWI.
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EPA Sued Over Mississippi River Pollution and Associated Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone"
| On March 13, a coalition of environmental organizations filed two separate legal actions against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The lawsuits address nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) pollution in the Mississippi River Basin, and the associated, low-oxygen hypoxic zone or "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. One of the lawsuits challenges EPA's denial of a 2008 petition asking EPA to establish numeric water quality limits (or standards) for--and stream restoration plans relating to--nitrogen and phosphorous pollution. A second lawsuit seeks to compel EPA to respond to a 2007 request (or "petition") that the agency update its wastewater treatment plant water quality standards to include provisions for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorous. For more details, including links to the two lawsuits and to over 20 related news releases and articles, see here.
For more information, contact Mark Gorman, Policy Analyst at NEMWI.
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Army Corps Developing Port and Inland Waterways Modernization Strategy
| The Panama Canal expansion will almost triple the size of container vessels able to transit the canal. In anticipation of a projected 2014 completion of the canal expansion effort, on December 21, 2011, Congress directed the Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources (IWR) to submit a report by June 20, 2012 to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees "on how the Congress should address the critical need for additional port and inland waterway modernization to accommodate post-Panamax vessels." In response to that directive, the IWR is investigating the impacts of the Panama Canal expansion on future U.S. marine transportation system needs. Specifically, IWR is evaluating the costs associated with deepening and widening deep-draft harbors; ability of inland waterways and ports to enhance export initiatives benefiting the agricultural and manufacturing sectors; current and projected population trends that might predict regional port maintenance and expansion needs; availability of inland intermodal access; and environmental impacts resulting from the modernization. The IWR study team will accept additional information and feedback through April 15 for consideration in its initial drafts of the strategy document. Interested persons can visit this U.S. Port and Inland Waterways Modernization Strategy web page for further information.
For more information, contact Mark Gorman, Policy Analyst at NEMWI.
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House Passes Bill To Curb Eminent Domain Authority
| On February 28, the House of Representatives approved by voice-vote H.R. 1433, the Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2011. The bill would prohibit state and local governments that receive federal economic development funds from using eminent domain to acquire land for economic development purposes. "Economic development" is defined in the bill as private, for-profit projects, or projects designed to increase tax revenue, the tax base or employment. The bill imposes punitive measures on governments for violating the ban and creates a cause of action for landowners who have property wrongfully taken by a state or local government. The bill creates a safe harbor for specific "public purpose" activities that necessitate eminent domain, such as the construction of roads, hospital facilities, airports or military bases. Such authority would also be permitted in cases of developing public transportation systems or infrastructure, such as the proposed Keystone pipeline, or to remove threats to public health and safety.
For more information, contact Colin Wellenkamp, Director, Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative at NEMWI.
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Rural Jobs And Innovation Funding Opportunity
| On March 8, the Obama Administration announced a $15 million multi-agency Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator challenge that is intended to spur job creation and economic growth in distressed rural communities. This competition, which is being funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), was designed by the Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters and the White House Rural Council. Local governments are eligible for components of this funding and should consider partnering with other private, nonprofit and public sector partners in their region. Winning regions will be able to use funds to support a range of community and economic development activities that build local assets and strengthen links to regional industry clusters and opportunities. Approximately 20 regions from across the nation will be funded. The deadline for applications is May 9, 2012 and guidelines for submissions are accessible at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/RuralJobsAccelerator.html. This website also includes information about an upcoming informational webinar on Tuesday, March 20 at 3:00 p.m.
For more information, contact Colin Wellenkamp, Director, Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative at NEMWI.
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