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HIGHLIGHTS
- Great Ships for the Great Lakes – Report
- Funding for Invasive
Species Dispersal Barrier – Emergency Supplemental
- Local Foods for Healthy
Farms and Communities – Briefing
- Electricity Supplies
– Briefing on the Summer Outlook
- U.S.-Canada Commerce and
Travel – Legislation
- Math and Science Education
-- Legislation
- Environmental Policy
Analyst – Job Opening
Great Ships for
the Great Lakes – Report
The Northeast-Midwest Institute has released a
scoping report for the Great Ships Initiative entitled, “Great Ships
for the Great Lakes: Commercial Vessels Free
of Invasive Species in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway
System.” The report provides a fact base, rationale, and
preliminary plan for a collective industry-led response to the problem of
ship-mediated introductions of aquatic invasive species in the Great
Lakes. The report is available for download from the
Institute's website: http://www.nemw.org/scopingreport.pdf
Funding for Invasive Species Dispersal
Barrier – Emergency Supplemental
The fiscal 2006 Emergency Supplemental conference
report, in order to block the advance of Asian carp, ensures that the Army
Corps of Engineers will operate the temporary barrier on the Chicago
Ship and Sanitary Canal for the
remainder of the year, and it allows the Corps to reprogram money in future
years for barrier 1 without getting a
specific appropriation. The House is expected to pass the
conference report on Monday, June 12, and the Senate will pass it on
Tuesday. Contact: Joy
Mulinex with the Great Lakes Task
Force (202/224-1211).
Local Foods for Healthy Farms and
Communities – Briefing
A Capitol Hill briefing on Tuesday, June 13, will
examine how local agriculture and food systems are improving access to
healthy foods by schools, retailers, restaurants, and communities.
Hosted by Senators Hilary Clinton (D-NY), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Thomas
Harkin (D-IA), and Herbert Kohl (D-WI), the event will feature an expert
panel discussing issues of agriculture and the food supply, nutrition and
education, and obesity and health. The briefing will run from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm in 485
Russell Senate Office Building.
The briefing is jointly sponsored by the Community Food
Security Coalition, Northeast-Midwest Institute, Food Trust, National
Farmers Union, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Family Farm
Coalition, Henry A. Wallace Institute at Winrock International, Chez
Panisse Foundation, D.C. Central Kitchen, and Yale University’s
Rudd Center for
Food Policy and Obesity. RSVP to Amanda Wagner at the Community
Food Security Coalition (202/543-1300).
Electricity Supplies – Briefing
on the Summer Outlook
The Council of Regional Transmission Organizations will
host a luncheon briefing on Monday, June 19, on the summer outlook for
electricity supplies and the role of regional transmission operators in
managing the electric grid. The June 19 event will run from noon until 1:30 pm in B369
Rayburn House Office Building. Lunch will be provided.
Contact: Denise Schuhart with PJM
Interconnection (202/393-7757)
U.S.-Canada Commerce and Travel –
Legislation
Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and John McHugh (R-NY) are
seeking cosponsors for the Protecting American Commerce and Travel Act
(PACT Act, H.R. 5536), which would increase northern-border security while allowing
for the free-flow of trade and low-risk travelers. Specifically, this
bill would will extend the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative’s
(WHTI’s) implementation date to September 15, 2009; require the
Departments of Homeland Security and State to develop standards for
securing existing documents, such as driver's licenses; set the price of
the new travel card at no more than $20 and make it available within ten
days; exempt children younger than 16 from the WHTI documentary
requirements; and, expand expedited traveler programs such as NEXUS and
FAST. Contacts: Alan
Snyder with Rep. Slaughter (202/225-3615) or Chris Mathey with Rep. McHugh
(202/225-4611).
Math and Science Education --
Legislation
Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-MI) is seeking cosponsors for
bi-partisan legislation (HR 5358) aimed at strengthening math and science
education in the U.S.
Specifically, this bill would encourage more math and science students
to become K-12 teachers by expanding an existing scholarship program
administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF); improve teacher
training in math and science through the NSF; improve undergraduate math
and science education by helping colleges and universities implement new
programs to increase the number of math and science majors.
Contact: Charles Yessaian
with Rep. Schwarz (202/225-6276).
Environmental Policy Analyst – Job Opening
The Northeast-Midwest Institute is looking for a policy
analyst to focus on ecosystem management and restoration in several major
watersheds, including Upper Mississippi River, Chesapeake
Bay, and Delaware River. Click here to view a job
description.
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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