The NEMWI will host a briefing on Wednesday, December 18, 2013, on the future of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The GLRI is a Federal Administration initiative that has provided over $1.3 billion in funding for Great Lakes restoration activities since FY2010. Activities, including cleanup of legacy pollution sites known as Areas of Concern as well as habitat restoration and reduction of nutrient runoff, have aimed to improve the ecosystem of the Great Lakes region. As part of a Congressional request, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently completed and published a review of the GLRI program. The report highlighted good public communication and interagency working relationships, but recommended better progress assessment in order to fully capture program impacts. At this briefing, agency representatives will discuss the past implementation of the GLRI Action Plan and likely future direction of the next Action Plan (FY2015-19), including recent input from the public, GAO and Great Lakes Advisory Board. Details below:

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Moving from the GAO Report to the next Action Plan
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Capitol Visitor's Center
Congressional Meeting Room North, CVC-268

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made available $4 million in grant funding to achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions. The program will focus on reducing tons of, and human exposures to, diesel emissions from fleets operating in U.S. ports. The grant program also seeks to build partnerships among port stakeholders to promote ongoing air pollution reduction efforts. Community groups, local governments, terminal operators, shipping carriers, and other business entities are encouraged to participate through partnerships with eligible port authorities. Projects may address short distance trucking, marine engines, locomotives, and cargo handling equipment, and may occur at marine or inland ports. EPA will give priority to ports located in areas of poor air quality. The closing date for receipt of proposals is February 13, 2014. For more information and to access the Request for Proposals and other documents, visit http://www.epa.gov/otaq/ports/ports-dera-rfp.htm.

The 13th annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference ("Building Safe, Healthy, Equitable, and Prosperous Communities") will take place from February 13-15, 2014 in Denver, CO. The conference will explore practical strategies for identifying and overcoming barriers to more sustainable development, relevant for those NEMW cities, towns, and states working toward smart growth goals. The schedule includes a mix of plenaries, breakouts, implementation workshops, specialized trainings, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and coordinated networking activities. It also will feature tours of local model projects in and around the greater Denver region. The early-bird registration rate is available until December 20. For more information, visit www.newpartners.org.

All of us at the Northeast-Midwest Institute wish you all a restful holiday season and Happy New Year. See you in 2014.