GLIN==> Northeast-Midwest Weekly Update -- 6 April 2009

Weekly Update
6 April 2009
 
*	Preservation Projects:  Environmental and Energy Conservation
Impacts
*	Senators Reed, Snowe Increase LIHEAP in Congressional Budget
*	House and Senate Budget Resolutions Include Great Lakes Funding
*	Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference
*	Job Opening:  Environmental Policy Analyst
 
 
Preservation Projects:  Environmental and Energy Conservation Impacts
 
The Northeast-Midwest Institute has issued a new report on the 
Environmental and Economic Benefits of the Maryland Historic Tax Credit
Program <http://www.nemw.org/EnvEnergyImpactsMDHistTaxCredit.pdf> , also
available as an Executive Summary
<http://www.nemw.org/EnvEnergyImpactsMDHistTaxCreditSummary.pdf> .  The
report concludes that Maryland's Tax Credit projects save 30 to 40
percent vehicle miles traveled (VMT) relative to suburban norms with
parallel greenhouse gas reductions.  Other findings include:  tax credit
projects save infrastructure costs at a rate of 50 to 80 percent
relative to greenfields development; and rehabilitation of tax credit
properties "saved" 387,000 tons of material from landfills.  This amount
of landfill material is the equivalent of filling a football stadium to
a depth of 50-60 feet.
 
The Northeast-Midwest Institute website has been expanded to include a
section devoted to Preservation, Smart Growth, and Climate Change
<http://www.nemw.org/smartgrowth.htm#preservation_climate> .  The report
was part of a larger economic and environmental impact report
<http://www.nemw.org/AbellReport_MDTaxCredits.pdf> for the Maryland
Historic Tax Credit Program, funded by The Abell Foundation
<http://www.abell.org/>  in Baltimore.
 
Contact Evans Paull
<mailto:epaull at nemw.org?subject=Preservation%20Projects>  (202/464-4004)
at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
 
 
Senators Reed, Snowe Increase LIHEAP in Congressional Budget
 
Last week, Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition Co-Chairs Jack Reed (D-RI)
and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) sponsored an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010
Senate Budget Resolution increasing the amount for the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by $1.9 billion.  The amendment
increases the total amount to $5.1 billion.  The Reed-Snowe amendment
was accepted by unanimous voice vote.
 
The fiscal 2009 congressional budget included $5.1 billion for LIHEAP.
The FY 2009 Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing
Appropriations Act (P.L. 110-329
<http://www.nemw.org/pl110-329_liheap.pdf> ) appropriated $5.1 billion
for LIHEAP - the most money ever for the program.
 
The National Energy Assistance Directors' Association (NEADA) estimates
that funding LIHEAP at $3.2 billion instead of $5.1 billion would result
in at least 1.5 million households being eliminated from the program,
and millions more seeing their LIHEAP grants decreased.
 
Both the House and Senate passed their versions of a budget resolution
last week.  The chambers must conference the two resolutions, and
negotiate the differences before voting on them again.  The
congressional budget resolution is a concurrent resolution between the
House and Senate and is not signed into law.  An April 1 press release
<http://reed.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=310973>  from Senator
Reed's office has more information on the amendment and Coalition LIHEAP
work.
 
Contact Chris Hickling
<mailto:chris_hickling at reed.senate.gov?subject=LIHEAP%20Funding%20Increa
se>  (202/224-0606) at the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition.
 
 
House and Senate Budget Resolutions Include Great Lakes Funding
 
This week, both the House and Senate passed Budget Resolutions for
Fiscal Year 2010.  As requested by both the House and Senate Great Lakes
Task Forces, each chamber included language in the Budget Resolution to
support the $475 million included in President Obama's budget proposal.
This funding, which would go to EPA for a multi-agency Great Lakes
restoration initiative, must still be appropriated.
 
Contact Joy Mulinex
<mailto:joy_mulinex at levin.senate.gov?subject=Budget%20Resolutions>
(202/224-1211) at the Great Lakes Task Force.
 
 
Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference
 
On June 1-3, the National Vacant Properties Campaign
<http://www.vacantproperties.org/> , with principal planning partners
the Metro Louisville Government <http://www.louisvilleky.gov/>  and the 
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
<http://www.stlouisfed.org/default.cfm> , are sponsoring the Reclaiming
Vacant Properties:  Building Leadership to Restore Communities
conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
 
With the rising number of foreclosures, blight from vacant properties
confronts communities across the country, and severely threatens
neighborhood stability.  Cities of all shapes and sizes are searching
for innovative, cost effective strategies to abate these public
nuisances, and transform vacant properties into catalysts for
revitalization.  The conference offers an opportunity to share
successful programs and projects taking place across the country, and
discuss new initiatives to change federal and state policies that affect
our cities and towns.  The early deadline to register for the conference
<http://reclaimingvacantproperties.org/> , and save $100, is April 17.
 
Contact Jennifer Leonard
<mailto:jleonard at smartgrowthamerica.org?subject=Louisville%20Conference>
(202/207-3355 x23) at the National Vacant Properties Campaign.
 
 
Job Opening:  Environmental Policy Analyst
 
The Northeast-Midwest Institute is seeking a highly qualified policy
analyst to focus on ecosystem management and restoration.  The position
will focus on Mid-Atlantic watersheds, including the Chesapeake Bay and
Delaware River.
 
The policy analyst will work with diverse regional stakeholders, as well
as bipartisan coalitions within the United States Senate and House of
Representatives, in order to advance regional resource management,
restoration, and protection strategies.  The policy analyst will be
supervised by a senior policy analyst, and will be part of an ecosystem
team that focuses on several environmental quality issues.  Click here
<http://www.nemw.org/Jobs.htm>  for a complete job description.
 
 
Calendar <http://www.nemw.org/calendar.htm>  | Media Links
<http://www.nemw.org/media.htm>  | Reports/Periodicals
<http://www.nemw.org/reports.htm> 
 
Northeast-Midwest Institute <http://www.nemw.org/> 
50 F Street NW Suite 950
Washington DC 20001
202.544.5200
 
Email Glenn Starnes <mailto:glennstarnes at nemw.org?subject=Unsubscribe>
with comments or to unsubscribe from this mailing list.
 
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