| Northeast-Midwest Institute Weekly Update |
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NEMWI Releases Note to the Coalitions: "The Northeast's Transportation Climate Initiative"
| The Northeast-Midwest Institute released the new "Note to the Coalitions: The Northeast's Transportation Climate Initiative," which provides essential background on the Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) goals, structure, and activities to inform policy decisions. NEMWI released the Note at an NEMWI-hosted briefing on April 23, 2012. The TCI is a coalition of states working together to reduce transportation greenhouse gases through policies that support: (i) alternative fuels and vehicles, (ii) sustainable communities, (iii) innovative communications technologies, and (iv) freight efficiency. The Note discusses the formation of TCI, its current agenda, products and future goals. Panelists at the associated TCI briefing--including Vicki Arroyo, Georgetown Climate Center, Brett Taylor, Delaware Department of Transportation, and John Thomas, US EPA, Office of Sustainable Communities--discussed a range of topics, including the federal government's role in TCI's work, through individual presentations and a question and answer discussion period. The Note, and a briefing recap, presentations, and a photo can be found on the NEMWI website.
For more information, please contact Beth Zgoda, Policy Analyst at Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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NEMW Briefing Recap: Vacant Housing, Problems and Solutions
| The NEMW House and Senate Coalitions co-hosted a Capitol Hill briefing for interested House and Senate staff on Monday, April 23, in coordination with NEMW Co-Chair Steve LaTourette (R-OH) and NEMW Member Marcia Fudge (D-OH). Panelists addressed the current conditions of vacant housing in the NEMW region and across the country, discussing its effect on communities, the status of current HUD programs, and the mechanics of legislative proposals, including the bipartisan bill, H.R. 4210, Restore our Neighborhoods Act of 2012. Speakers included Stan Gimont, Director, HUD's Office of Block Grant Assistance; Jim Rokakis, Director, Thriving Communities Institute, and Paul Komlosi, President, 21st Century Funding Options for Land Banks. Agency staff from Treasury and EPA also were on hand to answer questions.
For more information about the briefing, contact Kate Ostrander, Legislative Director of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition.
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2012 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference Registration
| The Center for Community Progress will host the 2012 Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference in New Orleans from June 20 to June 22. The conference will explore the strategies and tools that neighborhoods, cities, and states are using to turn the challenge of vacant land and buildings into a foundation on which to build the future. It will consist of a mix of breakouts, specialized trainings, plenaries, and coordinated peer-to-peer learning and networking activities. Registration is open and more information about the conference can be found here.
For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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