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GLIN==> Northeast-Midwest Weekly Update -- 22 October 2001

H I G H L I G H T S

*       LIHEAP Allotments
*       Contaminated Sediment Remediation
*       Web Site Redesigned and Augmented
*       Sustainable Forests


LIHEAP ALLOTMENTS
-----------------
        Responding to requests from the Northeast-Midwest Coalitions, the Bush Administration last week agreed to increase allocations within the second continuing resolution (CR) for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).  As much as $750 million has been allotted in the CR for the first quarter of fiscal 2002; Northeast-Midwest states will receive the following amounts, which match their first quarter requests:

        CT      $14,379,215
        DE      2,481,133
        IL      71,638,528
        IN      25,221,001
        IA      20,433,570
        ME      16,144,262
        MD      14,312,977
        MA      23,001,348
        MI      18,808,072
        MN      13,611,278
        NH      8,710,856
        NJ      47,943,701
        NY      130,710,180
        OH      31,687,493
        PA      28,099,226
        RI      2,360,585
        VT      7,182,006
        WI      18,133,115

        Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Jack Reed (D-RI), Paul Wellstone (D-MN), and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) also are asking Senate leaders to include in the economic stimulus package language calling for the immediate release of the $300 million provided for LIHEAP in the fiscal 2001 supplemental act, as well as emergency fiscal 2002 LIHEAP funding to help low-income families affected by the slowing economy.

        CONTACTS:  Kris Sarri with the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition (224-0606) and Olwen Huxley at the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition (226-9497).


CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT REMEDIATION
---------------------------------
        The Northeast-Midwest Institute has received a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes National Program Office for an economic valuation project in Waukegan Harbor, Illinois.  The project will analyze the economic impact of contaminated sediment remediation and associated waterfront improvements.  The Institute will work with local community members to guide the study, and it will report periodically to the community on the project’s progress.

        CONTACT:  Jessica Taverna at the Northeast-Midwest Institute (544-5200).


WEB SITE REDESIGNED AND AUGMENTED
---------------------------------
        The Northeast-Midwest Institute recently renovated its web site.  Drop-down menus have been added to nearly 100 pages in order to facilitate  navigation of the site.  A site search tool also has been added to assist users in their research efforts.

        A new Agriculture page provides frequently updated farm bill information, with a focus on conservation, as well as links to summaries of related Northeast-Midwest briefings, recent reports, and sustainable agriculture resources.  A new Rural Development page provides links to reports and contacts for rural issues, including education, health, housing, and infrastructure.

        The Brownfields and Forests pages have been extensively revised to include additional policy and background information.  A new Transportation page has sprouted from the Transportation & Trade page.  It includes a “primer” on transportation legislation, as well as coverage of transportation issues by mode.

        All the above sections can be accessed from the “Policy Studies” drop-down menu on the Northeast-Midwest home page:  http://www.nemw.org.


SUSTAINABLE FORESTS
-------------------
        The U.S. Forest Service is leading a collaborative effort of 12 federal agencies to produce the first National Report on Sustainable Forests.  That report is part of an ongoing process for improving U.S. forest conditions, providing a benchmark for assessing future progress.

        Although the final U.S. document is not due for submission until 2003, a draft will be available for review by summer 2002.  To review the report outline and comment on line, see   http://www.fs.fed.us/sustained/index.html.  For further information on sustainable forest management, see the Northeast-Midwest Institute’s web site -- http://www.nemw.org/forests.htm.

        CONTACT:  Barbara Wells at the Northeast-Midwest Institute (544-5200).