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Join Us This Wednesday: Reception for the Northeast-Midwest Region
Join us for NEMWI's annual "Reception for the Northeast-Midwest Region," which will take place this Wednesday, February 3, 2016, from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, in the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) Congressional Atrium.
The reception is a unique opportunity to hear about priority regional issues from Senate and House leaders, NEMWI board members, and NEMWI staff, as well as to meet other leaders who are in the forefront of advancing the future of the NEMW region. We'll have appetizers and a taste of some regional microbrews!
To RSVP, contact
Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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NEMWI Assists in Flint Water Crisis Response
NEMWI's Elin Betanzo (l) and Senator Debbie Stabenow (r) at a Town Hall Meeting in Flint, MI
NEMWI is assisting in the response to the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan after high lead levels were discovered in drinking water after a change in the city's drinking water source. NEMWI Senior Policy Analyst Elin Betanzo recognized several similarities between corrosion and increased lead levels in Flint and those discovered in Washington, DC after a major treatment change in the early 2000's. Betanzo advised Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha to study whether blood lead levels in the children of Flint were affected by increased lead in drinking water. That
study
initiated a change back to the original Lake Huron water source in October 2015 and a federal disaster declaration in January 2016. Betanzo, a Southeast Michigan resident, continues to help coordinate and advise efforts to resolve the crisis.
With nearly a decade of experience at the USEPA and three years with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Betanzo is assisting policy makers with understanding the Lead and Copper Rule and other Safe Drinking Water Act regulations. Living in Michigan herself, Betanzo is able to personally connect experts with government officials to aid collaboration on the crisis. Her knowledge and experience has made her a valuable resource to officials. For example, Betanzo provided
recommendations to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for improving the public health protection of the federal Lead and Copper Rule (LCR).
The circumstances in Flint, MI and Washington, DC show that changes in source water or treatment can interact with aging infrastructure, resulting in water quality changes with real impacts on public health. Changes in drinking water sources and/or treatment are likely to become more frequent over time as water resources are depleted, degraded, or have changes in availability due to climate change.
For more information, contact Elin Betanzo
, Senior Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Congress Faces Busy Week Ahead
The House and Senate have a full and busy week ahead.
The
Senate will continue working on the bipartisan Energy
Policy Modernization Act of 2015
(
S. 2012
), to which almost 200 amendments have been offered. An amendment authored by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) would provide more federal assistance to Flint in response to its current drinking water crisis. The amendment would provide up to $400 million in matching funds to address the water contamination in the city's drinking water supply, require that the Environmental Protection Agency notify communities of water contamination if the state fails to do so, and establish a Center of Excellence on Lead Exposure aimed at the immediate and long-term needs of children and adults exposed to lead. It is unclear whether the amendment can garner the necessary support in the Senate to move forward.
The House will take up the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2015 (
H.R. 3700), which was approved by the House Financial Services Committee back in December. The bill reforms certain housing programs for low-income families by streamlining and reducing regulatory burdens at the Department of Housing & Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service.
In addition, several events of regional interest are listed below.
Tuesday
- House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee legislative hearing on Eight Energy Infrastructure Bills, 10:00 AM 2123, Rayburn House Office Building
- Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "The Failures and Future of the EB-5 Regional Center Program: Can it be Fixed?" 10:00 AM, 226 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Wednesday
- House Oversight & Government Reform hearing "Examining Federal Administration of the Safe Drinking water Act in Flint, Michigan," 9:00 AM, 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
- House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing on "The Status of Coast Guard Cutter Acquisition Programs," 10:00 AM, 2167 Rayburn House Office Building
- House Subcommittee on Nutrition public hearing to review incentive programs aimed at increasing low-income families' purchasing power for fruits and vegetables, 10:00 AM, 1300 Longworth House Office Building
For more information, contact
Matthew McKenna
, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program,
or Colleen Cain, Senior Policy Analyst,
at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation
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