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HIGHLIGHTS
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Invasive Species – Legislation
·
Energy Efficiency –
Appropriations
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Chesapeake Bay – Appropriations
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Great Lakes – Appropriations
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Brownfield Financing – Report
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Brownfield Redevelopment for Local
Governments – Course Announcement
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Brownfield Redevelopment –
Legislation
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Electricity Interconnections –
Amendment
Invasive
Species – Legislation
Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Susan
Collins (R-ME), and Reps. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) and Vernon Ehlers
(R-MI) last week introduced legislation to reduce the risk of
harm to U.S. aquatic ecosystems and natural
resources from aquatic invasive species. The National Aquatic
Invasive Species Act of 2005 would reauthorize and strengthen the National
Invasive Species Act of 1996 in order to protect U.S. waters
by preventing new introductions of aquatic invaders. The bill
provides for rapid response when new invaders are discovered, for
controlling those species that are established in our waters, and for researching
pathways of introduction as well as prevention and control
technologies. The bills are numbered S. 770 and H.R. 1591 and H.R.
1592. Contacts: Allegra
Cangelosi with the Northeast-Midwest Institute (202/464-4007) and Joy Mulinex with the Great
Lakes Task Force (202/224-1211).
Energy Efficiency –
Appropriations
Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Jack Reed (D-RI), Arlen
Specter (R-PA), and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) are requesting signatures on a
letter supporting critical energy efficiency programs in the Energy and
Water Appropriations Bill for fiscal 2006. The letter requests $250
million of the Weatherization Assistance Program, $50 million for the
State Energy Program, $34.3 million for the Gateway Deployment
programs, at least $76.4 million for the Industrial Technologies
Program, $62 million for the Distributed Energy Program and $86
million for the Energy Information Administration. Contact: Kris Sarri with the
Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition (202/224-0606).
Senators Snowe and Leahy also are requesting signatures
on a letter supporting $1 million for Department of Energy’s Oil Heat
Research Project. This project helps consumers and small businesses
substantially reduce the cost of heating through the development and
application of energy-efficient technology. Contact: Kris Sarri with the Northeast-Midwest
Senate Coalition (202/224-0606).
Chesapeake Bay –
Appropriations
Twenty-one House members recently signed the Chesapeake
Bay Watershed Task Force’s funding request to the House
Appropriations Committee. The request focused on 21 regional programs
and projects that protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay
watershed. In addition, the Task Force asked to increase funding for
five national programs (Clean Water State Revolving Fund and five U.S.
Department of Agriculture programs -- EQIP, CSP, AMA, FRLPP) critical to
Bay restoration. Contact: Peter
Marx at the Northeast-Midwest Institute (202/464-4008).
Great Lakes –
Appropriations
The House and Senate Great Lakes Task Forces are circulating
letters in the House and Senate requesting funding for several Great
Lakes programs, such as the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal, the
Great Lakes Legacy program, and the Great Lakes Fish & Wildlife
Restoration program. The signature deadline is April 25th. Contact:
Joy Mulinex with
the Great Lakes Task Force at (202/224-1211).
Brownfield Financing – Report
Because capital gaps remain the biggest barrier to brownfield
redevelopment, more than half the states have created some type of
brownfield financing program. A new Northeast-Midwest Institute
report describes some notable examples of successful state tools and
strategies for filling capital gaps in brownfield cleanup and redevelopment
projects. They include targeted financial assistance; tax incentives;
planning, assessment, and cleanup programs; and infrastructure
development. The report can be obtained at www.nemw.org/BFStateFinTools.pdf.
Contacts: Charlie Bartsch
(202/464-4005) or Barbara Wells
(202/464-4019) at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
Brownfield Redevelopment for Local
Governments – Course Announcement
The USEPA, Northeast-Midwest Institute, and University of Illinois at Chicago Great
Lakes Center for
Environmental Training (in cooperation with HUD) will be presenting a
training course to help local governments identify, clean up, and redevelop
brownfields. The course will be offered in Chicago during
the week of June 20, 2005, and in Kansas
City during the week of August
1, 2005. The courses are open to all who may be
interested. The course will include hands-on case studies, including
site visits. Additional information at http://128.248.232.70/glakes/ce/courseDetail.asp?GID=297
for Chicago and http://128.248.232.70/glakes/ce/courseDetail.asp?GID=301
for Kansas City.
Brownfield Redevelopment –
Legislation
Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA) recently introduced the
Brownfield Redevelopment Assistance Act (H.R. 1237) – similar to
legislation developed in the last Congress by Reps. Marty Meehan (D-MA) and
Jack Quinn (R-NY) – that would provide grants through the Department
of Commerce to brownfield projects. Funding would be targeted toward
projects that restore employment and bring new income and private
investment to distressed communities. Contact: William Rys with Rep. Hart
(202/225-2565).
Electricity Interconnections –
Amendment
Since the Northeast-Midwest region lacks traditional
energy supplies, it must use its power efficiently and take advantage of
modern technologies. Unfortunately, many of those efficient
technologies face barriers, particularly when they try to connect to the
electricity grid. Reps. Steve Buyer (R-IN) and Rick Boucher (D-VA)
introduced a successful amendment last week before the House Energy and Commerce
Committee that would help overcome those barriers, thereby increasing the
reliability and security of our power supply. The amendment can be
found at http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/Markups/04072005/54_Scan001.PDF
Calendar | Media Links | Reports/Periodicals
Northeast-Midwest
Institute
218 D St, SE
Washington DC 20003
Ph. 202 544 5200
Email dickmunson@nemw.org with comments or to
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