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NEMWI and the Congressional Caucus on Corrosion Prevention to Hold Briefing This Thursday on Lead in Drinking Water
What: Preventing the Next Flint: A Panel on the Safety of America's Drinking Water
Where: Thursday, June 6, 2019, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Lunch will be provided)
Where: 303 Cannon House Office Building
RSVP: Sri Vedachalam at NEMWI or Adam Christopher at NACE International
The Northeast-Midwest Institute, in collaboration with the Congressional Caucus on Corrosion Prevention, will hold a Congressional Briefing on Thursday, June 6th, to discuss the safety of drinking water in American homes and schools, specifically regarding lead contamination.
The Flint water crisis not only endangered the lives of the city's residents, creating one of the largest public health crises and environmental justice disasters, it also re-awakened the country to poor quality infrastructure and inadequate safeguards protecting drinking water in our homes, schools, and communities. The briefing will provide a glimpse into the extent of the lead contamination crisis across much of the country, but will also focus on solutions such as lead testing standards, corrosion planning, technical training, and overcoming funding challenges. Experts from NACE International, the Northeast-Midwest Institute, and Environment America will speak at the briefing. The panelists at the briefing will include:
· Sri Vedachalam, Northeast-Midwest Institute
· Sylvia Hall, NACE International
· Terry Greenfield, NACE International
· John Rumpler, Environment America
For more information, please contact Dr. Sri Vedachalam, Director of the Safe Drinking Water Research and Policy Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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EPA Changes Regulations Covering Aviation Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions
On May 29th, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made advancements towards regulating aviation emissions starting in the Fall of 2019. These restrictions align with the White House's regulatory plan, known as the
Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions
. The agenda is focused on eliminating regulations that the administration deems ineffective and obsolete. It addresses advancing regulatory reform, increasing public notice of regulatory development for smoother transitions, overall governmental transparency, and consistent practice across the federal government.
The
ruling
aligns with the EPA's obligations under the Clean Air Act to set emission standards on greenhouse gases released from aircraft engines used in specific models of aircrafts. Aviation currently accounts for 2.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The
European Commission
stated that by 2020 the sector's emissions are expected to grow 70% above 2005 levels. Newer engine models must utilize advanced technologies to further reduce climate change.
For more information, please contact Eric Heath, Senior Policy Counsel for the Mississippi River Basin Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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President Trump's Trade Policy Takes One Step Forward and Two Steps Backwards
Last Thursday night, President Trump moved to advance his trade agenda while, simultaneously, threatening to undermine it. The Trump Administration
sent a draft
statement of the new North American Free Trade Agreement, referred to by the White House as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), to Congress. Officially known as a Statement of Administrative Action, this move starts a thirty-day period after which the administration is allowed to submit the complete legislation to Congress. As a necessary stage in the passage of trade legislation, this move represents progress on delivering the President's trade policies. By taking this step the administration is increasing pressure on House and Senate Democrats to consider the bill in a timely fashion.
That same night, President Trump
announced,
via Twitter, that the United States would impose a 5% tariff on all Mexican imports beginning June 10
th. The tariffs will increase by 5% each month until they reach 25%. The tariffs will only be rescinded once the flow of illegal migrants moving through Mexico into the United States stops. The move is a break from previous norms governing US-Mexico relations, where trade and security issues have been kept apart. The measure also runs afoul of the U.S.'s trade obligations under the existing NAFTA and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
Though Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney stressed that the USMCA and tariffs are separate issues, these two actions are likely to undercut each other. Guillermo Malpica, a Mexican trade official,
claimed that the tariffs might impede the ratification of the USMCA in Mexico. Meanwhile, with significant Congressional opposition to the deal, any policy that makes Mexico less willing to negotiate may further prolong consideration of the bill in the U.S. Congress.
For more information, please contact Eric Heath, Senior Policy Counsel for the Mississippi River Basin Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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FY 2020 Appropriations Process in Full Swing
Congress has kicked off the FY 2020 appropriations process, with the House Appropriations Committee already approving eight out of the twelve bills out of the full Committee before it recessed for the Memorial Day holiday last week. It is expected that the House could consider the first "minibus" appropriations bill next week, which would likely combine five appropriations bills, including the FY 2020 Energy & Water appropriations bill. The Northeast-Midwest Institute has prepared fact sheets for several of the most relevant appropriations bills to the region. The FY20 Energy & Water fact sheet can be viewed
here, and the FY20 Interior & Environment fact sheet can be viewed
here.
For more information,
please contact
Matthew McKenna, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute
.
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Latest European Union Parliament Elections Set Stark Contrast with Current U.S. Policies on Climate Change
During the European Parliament Election on May 26th, 2019, the green party (Greens-European Free Alliance) dramatically increased their
seats in the European Parliament. Especially in Northern and Western Europe, young and first time voters voted in support of the green party. The biggest victories were in Germany and France, where the party finished second and third respectively. Overall, the EFA is now the fourth strongest party in the European Parliament.
The green party promotes strong environmental policies that, inter alia, prevent climate change, preserve biodiversity, and promote sustainable use of natural resources. Environmental awareness is rising, especially in Northern Europe. Protests and movements like FridaysForFuture urge governments to implement environmental policies that address the urgent problems posed by climate change.
The continually growing political support for environmental-friendly policies in the E.U. will set the tone for the future of E.U.-U.S. relations. The green party will have great influence in the election of the next E.U. Executive Commissioner that will take place later this year. As the U.S. seeks to cooperate on a number of policy matters and negotiate a new trade agreement with the E.U., the U.S. will need to come to terms with the political realities of the two blocks' widening approaches to climate and environmental policy.
For more information, please contact Eric Heath, Senior Policy Counsel for the Mississippi River Basin Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Joyce Foundation to Hold Webinar, "Advocating for More Equitable Lead Poisoning Prevention Policy"
Structured as a conversation among community and national experts, speakers will discuss how elected and government officials can develop and implement policies that center equity and support the needs of communities most impacted by lead poisoning. Learn more about the 2018 Consensus Conference where proposed strategies were developed.
Date and Time: Monday, June 17, 12:00 to 1:00 pm Pacific Time
Register here to reserve your spot!
Speakers (read more about them):
· Lili Farhang - Human Impact Partners (facilitator)
· Rebecca Morley - Consultant
· Juliana Pino - Policy Director, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
· Kristi Pullen Fedinick - Director of Science and Data, Natural Resources Defense Council
Audience:
National, state, and community-based nonprofit organizations developing and advocating for lead poisoning prevention policy, with a focus on those wanting to explicitly incorporate equity into their efforts.
For more information,
please contact
Matthew McKenna, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute
.
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NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation
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