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| NEMWI Briefing: USGS Report on Nationwide Groundwater Quality, March 6
The NEMWI and
Water Environment Federation will host a briefing on the
U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program on March 6, 2015 at 10am in the Capitol Visitor Center Congressional Meeting Room North. NAWQA Program staff will present findings from its ongoing evaluation of water quality in the principal aquifers of the United States.
The USGS Office of Groundwater has identified 62 principal aquifers in the U.S. About one-third of those principal aquifers have been the historical focus of water-quality assessments at a regional scale by NAWQA. On January 21, NAWQA released, "Water Quality in Principal Aquifers of the United States," a compendium summarizing groundwater quality trends based upon regional- and national-scale assessments conducted in principal aquifers between 1991 and 2010. The briefing will highlight findings from that comprehensive report.
Speakers include:
- Introductions: Michael Goff, President, Northeast-Midwest Institute
- Moderator: Patrick Leahy, Executive Director, American Geological Institute
- Barbara Mahler, Ph.D., Scientist for the NAWQA Program
The briefing is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to cbarbour@usgs.gov if you plan to attend.
For more information, please contact Mark Gorman, Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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| NEMWI Webinar: The Northeast-Midwest Region and the President's FY2016 Budget March 12
The NEMWI will host a webinar on Thursday, March 12 from 11am-12pm on regional implications of the President's FY2016 Budget. Each year, NEMWI analyzes the budget in light of such policy priorities as energy efficiency and assistance, transportation and water infrastructure, community development and manufacturing employment, and natural resource protection and restoration. The webinar will begin with opening remarks by NEMWI's new President, Dr. Michael Goff, followed by insight from NEMWI staff members. Sam Breene, Legislative Director of the NEMW House Coalition, will provide remarks on regional priorities for the upcoming appropriations season. Register for the webinar
here
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For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Sr. Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
| NEMWI Briefing Recap: Federal Support for Effective Workforce and Economic Development Practices at Every Stage of the Business Life Cycle
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| Ken Messina, Jack Mills, Tom Croft, Ben Seigel |
The NEMWI and the National Call to Action, a national multi-sector coalition formed in 2010 to promote a collaborative approach to economic stabilization and recovery, last week co-hosted an informational briefing on proven, cost-effective uses of federal resources and assistance for workforce and economic development at every stage of the business life cycle - startup, expansion, maintenance, and decline. NEMW Congressional Coalition Co-Chairs Congressman Mike Kelly and Congressman Jim McGovern were honorary cosponsors.
Ken Messina from Massachusetts' Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development spoke about the model workforce and economic development coordination efforts in his state that resulted in a program called Mass BizWorks and an extensive resource guide for business owners and employees. Jack Mills from the National Network of Sector Partners provided an overview of sector partnerships and their attention to racial, gender and other employment disparities, as well as recent federal attention to sector partnerships. Tom Croft described the layoff aversion work of the Pittsburgh-based Steel Valley Authority and its many success stories. These speakers were followed by Ben Seigel from the Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor and Bryan Borlik from the Economic Development Administration, who discussed their agencies' workforce and economic development efforts, coordination with other federal agencies, and available resources. Briefing slides are available here.
For more information, contact Colleen Cain, Sr. Policy Analyst at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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| NEMWI Briefing Recap: Asian Carp 2014 and 2015 - Great Lakes and Beyond
On Tuesday, February 24, the NEMWI hosted a Capitol Hill briefing on Asian carp research, monitoring, and removal efforts in 2014 and planned efforts for 2015. Speakers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) described efforts to prevent Asian carp from moving into the Great Lakes region, including testing of new technologies, evaluation of options at the Brandon Rd Lock and Dam, commercial fishing efforts, and consensus-building activities among regional stakeholders. Also discussed was the recent report to Congress, detailing ongoing and planned efforts within the Ohio River and Upper Mississippi River Basins to implement the 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) requirements. These efforts will push out lessons learned in the Great Lakes to these other regions in need of Asian carp monitoring and control efforts. The budget overview for the Asian carp efforts shows fairly level funding over the past years. Increased support from agency base budgets rather than through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative would provide longer-term stability and broader geographical applications. For presentation materials, and a recording of the webinar, please see the included links: Presentation and Webinar.
For more information, contact Danielle Chesky, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
| Congressional Delegation Requesting Support for Important Regional Programs
Members of the NEMW Congressional Coalition are circulating letters to fellow House members seeking their support for regionally-important programs, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Community Development Block Grants. These letters, sent to leadership on the Appropriations Committee, communicate support for various programs and/or levels of funding. Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee Members consider, among other aspects, the number of signatures and whether or not the letter is bipartisan. All of the letters will close for signatures in mid-March. Letters currently circulating include:
- Community Development Block Grants: led by Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition Co-Chair Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-04) and member Rep. Lou Barletta (PA-11); requests $3.3 billion, up from $3 billion in FY2015
- Great Lakes Restoration initiative: led by Great Lakes Task Force members Reps. Sander Levin (MI-09) and David Joyce (OH-14) and Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-25); requests level funding at $300 million for FY2016
- Great Lakes Task Force Letters (by Appropriations Subcommittee): led by Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chairs Reps. Candice Miller (MI-10), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Sean Duffy (WI-07), and Louise Slaughter (NY-25); ask for general program support without a specific funding level
- Commerce, Justice, Science: NOAA Programs and the Great Lakes Observing System
- Interior and Environment: State Revolving Funds, Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Asian carp and other invasive species efforts, and other programs
- Energy and Water: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs, including operation and maintenance for navigation, habitat restoration, and stream modeling
- State and Foreign Operations: Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the International Joint Commission
- Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development: St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
The NEMWI tracks federal funding of these and other regionally-relevant programs. More letters are expected to circulate in the coming week.
For more information, contact Danielle Chesky, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
| Great Lakes Hill Happenings: February 2015
February was a busy month for Congress and the region, with multiple letters circulating, bills introduced, and visits to Washington, DC, by regional leaders and stakeholders. Check out the full Hill Happenings for the low-down, including these highlights:
- Regional Hill events, including the Great Lakes Environmental Summit, kicked off by new Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), and the Great Lakes Congressional Breakfast, featuring ten delegation members;
- Introduction of legislation to prevent the movement of Asian carp into Lake Michigan; and
- Letters circulating within the House highlighting Great Lakes priorities, including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
For more information, contact Danielle Chesky, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
| Great Lakes Congressional Breakfast Features Regional, Bipartisan Leadership
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| NEMWI President and CEO Dr. Michael Goff |
The 2015 Great Lakes Congressional Breakfast, co-sponsored by the NEMWI and the Great Lakes Commission (GLC), featured ten Congressional members and showcased the high level of bipartisan support and efforts for the Great Lakes. NEMWI President Michael Goff and GLC Board Chair Kelly Birch kicked off the breakfast, discussing the continued partnership among the organizations and the benefits of the Great Lakes stakeholders working together to promote the region. Approximately 110 regional leaders and stakeholders attended the event, which continued despite the "weather" - an inch of snow in the Washington, DC region. The Great Lakes Delegation, used to such snowy weather and then some, was well represented. Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition Co-Chair Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-03) kicked off the event, and was followed by Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chairs, Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-07) and Sens. Mark Kirk (IL) and Debbie Stabenow (MI). All members highlighted the importance of the Great Lakes to the region and the high level of bipartisan support in protecting and revitalizing the region. Additional speakers included Great Lakes Task Force members Reps. David Joyce (OH-14) and Mike Quigley (IL-05), and delegation members Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-12), and Sens. Gary Peters (MI), Tammy Baldwin (WI), and Joe Donnelly (IN).
For more information, contact Danielle Chesky, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. |
| Joyce Foundation Launches Interactive Website "Great Lakes. Great Impact."
The Joyce Foundation launched a new website that is designed to tell the story of the impact of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The Foundation developed an interactive website "Great Lakes. Great Impact." that features short videos, compelling images, key facts and graphics. It highlights thirteen GLRI projects across the Great Lakes region. The Foundation believes that this will be an additional tool in illustrating the importance of this initiative and the power of collaboration between the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
For more information, contact Danielle Chesky, 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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