GLIN==> Northeast-Midwest Weekly Update -- 7 December 2009

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Weekly Update

7 December 2009

 

*	Delaware River Flood Mitigation Briefing
*	Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Briefing
*	Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act Introduced
*	Council on Environmental Quality Releases "Principles and
Guidelines"
*	Free Webinar:  Department of Energy Loan Guaranty Program
*	Letter Requests Action to Prevent Asian Carp from Entering Lake
Michigan

 

 

Delaware River Flood Mitigation Briefing

 

On Thursday, December 10, the Congressional Delaware
<http://www.nemw.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32&Itemid=
17>  River Basin Task Force is hosting a flood mitigation briefing.
Delaware River Basin Commission <http://www.state.nj.us/drbc/>  (DRBC) staff
will be joined by federal agency partners to provide an overview of results
from the recently developed Flood Analysis Modeling Tool.  The presentation
will focus on analysis of potential flood mitigation with existing
reservoirs in the Delaware River Basin.


In 2007, the Interstate Flood Mitigation Task Force members, after
evaluating flood prevention and mitigation options, and considering public
written and verbal comments, concluded that no set of mitigation measures
will entirely eliminate flooding along the Delaware River.  The current
analysis confirms that a combination of measures will be required to improve
the basin's capacity to prepare for and recover from flooding in the future.

 

The briefing is designed to gain a better understanding of flood loss
reduction recommendations, and to discuss possible federal policies and
funding opportunities over the near and long term.  The briefing will be
held from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM in room HC-7 of the U.S. Capitol building.


Contact Donna
<mailto:donna.woolf at drbc.state.nj.us?subject=Flood%20Mitigation%20Briefing>
Woolf (609/883-9500 x222) at the New Jersey Delaware River Basin Commission.

 

 

Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Briefing

 

On Thursday, December 10, officials from the EPA and the Department of State
will brief congressional staff on the Great
<http://www.ijc.org/en/activities/consultations/glwqa/index.php>  Lakes
Water Quality Agreement review.  In June, the U.S. and Canadian governments
announced a commitment to negotiate provisions to update and strengthen the
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.  The briefing will be held at 2:00 PM
in room S-200 of the Capitol Visitors Center.

 

Contact Joy
<mailto:joy_mulinex at levin.senate.gov?subject=Great%20Lakes%20Water%20Quality
%20Agreement%20Briefing>  Mulinex (202/224-1211) at the Great Lakes Task
Force.

 

 

Green Infrastructure for Clean Water Act Introduced

 

On December 3, Representatives Donna F. Edwards (D-MD-4), Russ Carnahan
(D-MO-3), and Steve Driehaus (D-OH-1) introduced the Green
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:1:./temp/~bdhQta:@@@L&summ2=m&
|/bss/111search.html>  Infrastructure for Clean Water Act of 2009 (H.R. 4202
<http://www.nemw.org/images/hr4202.pdf> ).  Green Infrastructure is defined
within the bill as a stormwater management technique that preserves the
natural hydrology of an area to help reduce stormwater runoff from hard
surfaces.

 

The bill would establish up to five Centers of Excellence for green
infrastructure in the United States.  The Centers would conduct research on
green infrastructure relevant to the geographic region in which the center
is located, and provide communities with training and technical assistance
on how to implement green infrastructure best management practices.  The
legislation would also provide incentive funding to help communities develop
green infrastructure technologies.

 

Contact Mark Gorman
<mailto:mgordon at nemw.org?subject=Green%20Infrastructure%20Act>
(202/464-4015) at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.

 

 

Council on Environmental Quality Releases "Principles and Guidelines"

 

On December 3, the President's Council on Environmental Quality released a
draft water resources planning guidance document entitled:  "Principles and
Guidelines" (P&G).  The document is designed for federal agencies to
formulate, evaluate, and implement water resources projects across the
nation.  The new, draft P&G recognizes the critical importance of the
nation's rivers, coasts and wetlands, and sets the stage for basic changes
in the way the federal government manages those resources, as directed by
Congress when it passed the Water Resources Development Act in 2007.

 

Contact Mark Gorman <mailto:mgordon at nemw.org?subject=>  (202/464-4015) at
the Northeast-Midwest Institute.

 

 

Free Webinar:  Department of Energy Loan Guaranty Program

 

On Wednesday, December 16, at 2:00 PM, the Northeast-Midwest Institute - in
coordination with the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition, the
Congressional Urban Caucus, and the Revitalizing Older Cities Congressional
Task Force - is hosting a free informational webinar
<http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs035/1102861873610/archive/110286435198
1.html>  about the Department of Energy's (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program.
DOE's Loan Guarantee is a $6 billion Recovery Act program aimed at advancing
renewable energy projects.  The webinar - presented by Thomas Cochran and
Steven Klein, program advisors to the U.S. Department of Energy - will
provide a general program overview and explain key components of the
recently released Request for Information.

 

Contact Greg <mailto:glewis at nemw.org?subject=DOE%20Webinar>  Lewis
(202/464-4005), or Diane DeVaul
<mailto:ddevaul at nemw.org?subject=DOE%20Webinar>  (202/464-4009) at the
Northeast-Midwest Institute.

 

 

Letter Requests Action to Prevent Asian Carp from Entering Lake Michigan

 

The Great Lakes Task Force is circulating a letter to the Administration
urging that measures be taken to prevent Asian carp from entering Lake
Michigan.  The letter recommends several options:  close the O'Brien and the
Chicago locks if there is reasonable likelihood that the carp are present
above the barrier; increase the voltage on the barrier; and use pesticides.
December 17 is the deadline for members of congress to sign the letter.

 

Contact Joy
<mailto:joy_mulinex at levin.senate.gov?subject=Asian%20Carp%20Letter>  Mulinex
(202/224-1211) at the Great Lakes Task Force.

 

 

 
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