NADO.org » Deborah Cox

EDA Requests Public Comment on New Proposed Regulations

Deborah Cox — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:46:46 +0000

On December 7, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) published a Federal Register Notice (FRN) requesting public comment on proposed revisions to the agency’s regulations. These revisions come after EDA incorporated public and internal input received earlier this year. The deadline to submit comments on the proposed regulations is February 6, 2012. After the comment period closes, EDA will then work on the final regulations to be published later next year. Please email a copy of your comments to dcox@nado.org.

KEY RESOURCES:

Federal Register Notice of Proposed EDA Regulations
EDA version with Track Changes
NADO Summary of Proposed EDA Rule Changes
To submit public comments, go to EDA’s website: http://edaregs.ideascale.com/

NADO Releases Special Edition of NADO News at Annual Training Conference

Deborah Cox — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:49:56 +0000

On October 8, at the 2011 Annual Training Conference held in Miami, FL, NADO released a special edition of NADO News, “A Review of Federal Legislative Activity Impacting Regional Development Organizations,” highlighting federal community and economic development policy issues and trends that impact regional development organizations and detailing the current status of the FY2012 appropriations bills.

To view the special edition of NADO News click here.

Senate Moves Bill Containing EDA Funding

Deborah Cox — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:34:13 +0000

On September 15, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a draft fiscal 2012 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) spending bill that would provide $52.7 billion in discretionary funds for the U.S. Department of Commerce (which includes the Economic Development Administration), the U.S. Department of Justice, NASA and other agencies. That total is $626 million, or one percent, less than the funding level for fiscal 2011.

The Senate CJS appropriations measure would provide $257 million for EDA with an additional $135 million in disaster assistance grants. Key highlights include the following:

Planning Grant Program: The Senate bill provides level funding for the planning grant program ($31 million)

Public Works: The Senate bill provides $91 million for public works, just $2 million above the FY2011 level and $42 million below the FY2010 level

Economic Adjustment Grants: The Senate bill provides $48 million, $30 million below the FY2011 level and $10 million above the FY2010 level

Technical Assistance: The bill provides $12 million for technical assistance, $1 million below the FY2011 level and approximately $2 million above the FY2010 level

Surface Transportation and Aviation Programs Extended

Deborah Cox — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:49:00 +0000

On September 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a combined extension of surface transportation programs and aviation programs. H.R. 2887 provides for a six month extension of highway programs (until March 31, 2012) and a four and a half month extension of aviation programs (until January 31, 2012). The latest extension of highway programs was set to expire on September 30 and the latest extension of aviation programs was set to expire at midnight on September 16.

On September 15, the measure passed the Senate, clearing the bill for the President. Opposition by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) almost prevented the bill from passing, which would have resulted in a FAA shutdown. Sen. Coburn objected to the transportation enhancements program in the bill and offered an amendment that would remove a mandate that states must spend some of their highway money on enhancements such as walking and bike paths. Sen. Coburn eventually conceded, saying he was assured that the next multi-year highway bill will include his language allowing states to opt out of the mandate. Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) amendment to the measure to lower Highway Trust Fund spending levels was rejected.

These latest extensions will give authorizers additional time needed to continue to work through differences on the long term authorizations for these programs.

President Obama Announces the American Jobs Act

Deborah Cox — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:16:00 +0000

On September 8, before a Joint Session of Congress, President Obama outlined his new plan to create jobs and boost the economy. In his proposal, The American Jobs Act, the President calls for greater investment in the nation’s infrastructure and makes the case for the development of a National Infrastructure Bank. The plan, estimated to cost $447 billion, includes $60 billion in new transportation infrastructure spending including:

$27 billion for highways
$9 billion for mass transit
$4 billion for high-speed rail corridors
$2 billion for other intercity passenger rail
$5 billion for TIGER and TIFIA grant/loan assistance
$2 billion for airport improvement grants
$1 billion for FAA NextGen air traffic control

The President also asked Congress to approve an extension of unemployment insurance, payroll tax cuts, hiring incentives, and greater funding for public schools, high-speed wireless access, and a new “Project Rebuild” targeted at putting people to work rehabilitating homes, businesses and communities. The proposal also includes $5 billion to prevent and reverse layoffs of emergency first-responders and $5 billion to modernize community colleges.

More information on the President’s jobs bill is available on the White House website. To view a White House fact sheet on the proposal, click here.

NADO Provides Legislative Update to Members

Deborah Cox — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:37:09 +0000

On September 8, the NADO legislative team provided a federal policy and legislative status report to NADO members through a national conference call. The purpose of the call was to provide NADO members with the latest news from Capitol Hill, the Obama Administration and the federal agencies. The team gave an overview of the federal policy and budget outlook for the remainder of this year, including an update on the Debt Deal, the Congressional Super Committee, the FY2012 appropriations process and a transportation update including the latest on the extension of SAFETEA-LU and FAA programs.

To access a summary presentation of the call, click here.

NADO Executive Director Attends President Obama’s Rose Garden Address

Deborah Cox — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:53:25 +0000

On August 31, NADO Executive Director Matthew Chase attended a press event held by President Obama at the White House Rose Garden. Speaking to a group of transportation and infrastructure stakeholder groups, President Obama, joined by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, urged Congress to work quickly to pass a short-term surface transportation funding extension next month and, following that, a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill. He also urged lawmakers to pass a clean extension of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization.

Census Bureau Defines “Urban Areas” for 2010 Census

Deborah Cox — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:51:30 +0000

On August 24, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of the Census announced the final criteria for defining urban areas for the 2010 Census. The criteria will be used in identifying areas that will qualify for designation as urbanized areas and urban clusters, and will form the basis for metropolitan planning organization (MPO) boundaries. The changes in the criteria used to define urban areas will result in new urban areas, merged existing urban areas, and larger urban areas generally, and federal transit funding levels will be based on these criteria. Complete information concerning the final urban area criteria for the 2010 Census is available by clicking here. The Census Bureau expects to announce urbanized areas and urban clusters in early 2012.

NADO Conference Attendees Tour White House

Deborah Cox — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:46:47 +0000

Pictured outside the White House, from left are: Craig Markley, Iowa DOT; Chris Whitaker, Region XII COG (Carroll, IA), and Rick Hunsaker, Executive Director, Region XII COG (Carroll, IA).

On Friday, August 26, as a special event of NADO’s 2011 National Rural Transportation Conference and Economic Development Finance Service (EDFS) Training Conferences, conference attendees, their families, and NADO friends in the Washington, D.C. area attended a tour of the White House. Visitors explored the East Room, the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms overlooking the Rose Garden, and other rooms throughout the mansion.

OMB Memo Establishes Expectations for FY2013 Spending

Deborah Cox — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:42:39 +0000

On August 17, Jacob Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), released a memo directing all Federal department and agency heads to begin work on their FY2013 budget requests. The memo, intended to provide agencies with guidelines for spending limits, states that the FY2013 request should be at least five percent below the FY2011 enacted discretionary appropriation. They must also provide an additional list of potential funding reductions that would bring their upcoming request to 10 percent below FY2011 levels.

OMB has also directed agencies to be strategic in their cuts. Projects that might provide economic growth in the future should retain more funds; duplicative or ineffective programs should be consolidated or cut. According to the memo, agencies should not propose “across-the-board reductions or reductions to mandatory spending in appropriations bills, reclassifications of existing discretionary spending to mandatory, or enactment of new user fees to offset existing spending” and directs them to realign resources, improve operations efficiency and explain in their budgets how they will analyze data to improve policy decisions. Agencies are further encouraged to consider the Government Accountability Office’s list of duplicative federal programs. To view the full memo, click here.