CMAP Economic Recovery Update

The following items are among the information in a special CMAP weekly update about the regional response to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for February 17, 2009. Click here for the full entry. 

• The bill becomes law.
• The latest bill summaries. 
• Informal guidance on funding programs.
• Issue area status reports. 
• News links. 

Issues Analysis: Economic Development, Workforce Development, and Telecommunications 

CMAP staff have posted an up-to-date Issues Analysis on Economic Development, Workforce Development, and Telecommunications that describes the following in more detail. For more information, please contact CMAP's Annie Byrne (312-386-8786 or abyrne@cmap.illinois.gov). 

Economic Development.  There was a $100 million difference between the House and the Senate on funding for programs administered through the Economic Development Administration. The agreed amount reached in conference is the lower amount in the Senate version, $150 million. Of this, $50 million is allocated for the economic adjustment assistance programs, described in the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 as amended and available here.

Workforce Development.  The final amount allocated for workforce development through formula and competitive grants for adult, youth, and dislocated programs is $3.95 million. This amount is a compromise between the House and Senate. An additional $1.2 billion is allocated to existing programs that focus training to specific populations, including older workers, people with disabilities, and other unemployed populations.

Telecommunications. The funding allocated for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program is a compromise between the smaller House proposal and the Senate’s proposal for telecommunications; $4.35 billion is made available to expand and improve access to broadband. An additional $350 million remains for a national mapping inventory. The act also includes $2.5 billion as proposed by the House to increase access to broadband services to rural areas. 

Issues Analysis: Transportation 

Transportation. CMAP staff have posted an up-to-date Issues Analysis that describes the following in more detail. At its March 6 meeting, the CMAP Transportation Committee will act on the first round of Transportation funding coming to our region from the federal recovery act. IDOT will work with CMAP to develop the program marks for road funds and it is expected that RTA will split the mass transit funds among the three service boards using the traditional splits of 58 percent CTA, 34 percent Metra, and 8 percent Pace. In addition to the RTA’s service boards and IDOT, programmers of Transportation funds from the recovery bill will include the CMAP Council of Mayors and the city of Chicago. IDOT has released a list of $693 million in recovery act projects to be let on April 3. This letting is limited to state-programmed projects. Please contact Patricia Berry (pberry@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8742).

Issues Analysis: Brownfields, Energy, and Water

CMAP staff have posted analysis of Brownfields, Energy, and Water components [updated 2/20/09] of the recovery legislation. Below are highlights:

Brownfields.  The new version of the Economic Recovery Bill includes the proposed $100 million for brownfields remediation programs. Details about the different programs can be found here. The bill waives the cost-share requirements. It also includes increased funding for other land remediation programs: the Superfund Remedial program, and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund.

Energy.  The new version of the Economic Recovery Bill includes funding to several different programs promoting "green" energy and efficiency. Much of this funding is targeted towards research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities for energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as modernizing electricity delivery (Smart Grid). There are appropriations for specific programs which award grants to local governments, including the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and State Energy Programs. Funding is also appropriated for advanced battery manufacturing, Transportation electification, alternative fuel vehicles, Energy Star, and diesel retrofits.

The bill also includes funding for loan guarantees for renewable technologies and transmission technologies, as well as creating a Clean Energy Finance Authority to use tax incentives to promote private investment in the renewables sector.

Water. Appropriations to the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) are $4 billion and $2 billion, respectively. These programs provide loans with below-market interest rates to local governments to improve sewer and water systems. Another major item is funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, which has $2 billion for construction, $2.075 billion for operations and maintenance, $375 million for Mississippi River improvements, and $25 million for the regulatory program. Finally, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) would receive $290 million for various flood protection projects, half of which would be used to purchase and restore floodplains in agricultural areas, and another $50 million to rehabilitate small dams built by NRCS. Please contact Kristin Heery (kheery@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8802) or Jesse Elam (jelam@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8688). 

Obama expected to sign American Reinvestment and Recovery Act 

The President is in Colorado today to tour an alternative-energy project at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where he is scheduled to sign the stimulus bill into law.  Click here for a White House summary of the package.  Later this afternoon or early evening, CMAP will issue a new Economic Recovery weekly update.

IDOT Proposed Stimulus Projects 

Click here for the list of stimulus projects posted today by IDOT for letting in April. 

By Shana Alford
2/13/09

Do you know about 2-1-1? 2-1-1 is a communication network that provides callers with information and referrals about human services within their communities or regions. There are nearly 250 2-1-1 operational systems nationwide that rely on trained operators, a web database, and local telecommunication networks to deliver services.

In 31 states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, 2-1-1 services cover at least 90% of populations. In 2007, ten million calls were handled nationwide by 2-1-1 operators. Two of the most frequently documented areas of referrals were for 1) housing and shelter and 2) income support and assistance.

DuPage County photo by Flickr user (and Explore Northeastern Illinois Flickr pool contributor) Tom Bemister.  Join our Flickr pool here.

The foreclosure and credit crises have put a spotlight on the types of needs that millions of people have ranging from unemployment guidance to childcare. NPR recently presented a story about how 2-1-1 is helping people in Los Angeles to get assistance with basic needs like food and shelter.

Read more about 2-1-1 around the nation and in Illinois on the GO TO 2040 website.

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by Anne Holub
2/12/09

At our new CMAP web page you can follow along as our staff posts frequent updates and analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan and how it might affect northeastern Illinois. Among highlights are CMAP's draft recommendation criteria for evaluating projects needing funding. You can check back to the page for frequent updates, or subscribe to a special RSS feed. 

Do you Twitter? Follow Us! 

Conference report update 

Updated at 10:15 p.m., 2/12/09:  The conference report has been posted on the House Rules Committee website.  Click here for that page.  Here are direct links to the PDFs:

• Text of the Conference Report - Division A
• Text of the Conference Report - Division B
• Joint Explanatory Statement - Division A
• Joint Explanatory Statement - Division B

Updated at 6:00 p.m., 2/12/09:  There is some question about the Transportation numbers in the various summaries (see links below).  The dollars basically add up but are broken out in different ways.

• Inouye-Obey and Secretary LaHood break out $1.5 billion for "competitive grants to state and local governments for Transportation investments."  But page 10 of the TPM summary rolls that up with the $27.5 billion for "highway investments," making a total of $29 billion for "Supplemental Grants for highway investments."
• Similarly, Inouye-Obey show $9.3 billion for "investments in rail Transportation, including Amtrak, High Speed and Intercity Rail."  TPM's version breaks that out as $8 billion for high-speed and intercity rail, and $1.3 billion for Amtrak.  
• They both show $8.4 billion for public Transportation. 

Updated at 4:15 p.m., 2/12/09:  Senator Inouye and Representative Obey have issued a conference report summary.  The website Talking Points Memo has posted a summary, with the caveat that details are subject to change. 

Updated at 10:39 a.m., 2/12/09:  Click here for a summary of the conference report, from Speaker Pelosi's office. 

USDOT Secretary LaHood held a conference call this morning to summarize Transportation aspects of the conference report, and the following reports come from NARC and AMPO participants in the call:

• $27.5B for highway and bridge formula funding (see below*)
• $1.5B competitive surface Transportation grants (discretionary funding)
• $8.4B transit (below the $12 billion from the House version)
• $850M Amtrak capital grants
• $450M Amtrak security upgrades (funding to go through DHS)
• $8B high speed rail construction
• $1.1B Airport Improvement Program grants
• States will have 120 days to obligate 50% of funding and 100% must be obligated within one year. (It was unclear if there was delineation between state and MPO deadlines from the information provided.)
• USDOT has a TIGER team (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) to provide transparency and accountability

*AMPO adds:  "Apparently, the Senate language was knocked down for the MPO STP funds to 30% sub-allocation with 3% set aside off the top for Transportation enhancements."

As it becomes available, we will add more information to this web page.

House and Senate conferees agree to terms 

Early this evening, House Speaker Pelosi confirmed the deal announced earlier today by Senate Majority Leader Reid.  The dollar amount is said to be $789 billion.  USA Today and the Associated Press have summarized some highlights of the compromise bill.  Also see coverage in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.  We'll post more tomorrow.

SPECIAL CMAP Economic Recovery Update

The following items are among the information in a special CMAP weekly update about the federal economic recovery package for February 10, 2009. Click here for the full entry. 

• Bill status.
• White House news conference.
• Project reporting and evaluation. 
• Issue area status reports. 
• News links. 

Issues Analysis: Transportation 

Regarding Transportation, Illinois would receive about $1 billion in road and bridge funding from the recovery act.  Total national funding for roads and bridges in the Senate compromise bill is $27 billion, and the comparable House total is $30 billion.  The most significant difference is the Senate’s inclusion of $5.5 billion for supplemental discretionary grants, which may be used for projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area or a region.  CREATE appears to be a good candidate if this program survives what is likely to be a contentious conference committee.

Transit dollars in the Senate bill are $8.4 billion, compared to $12 billion in the House.  RTA estimates that the region will receive between $360 and $574 million in transit formula funds.

Consistent with CMAP's position, IDOT is urging support for a state capital bill. The stimulus bill will start the flow of Transportation projects, but a sustained revenue flow is essential. USDOT has created a team to track stimulus funds and to develop reporting standards. USDOT and the Office of Management and Budget will coordinate on performance measures to track job creation and other indications of the impact of each infrastructure investment. Please contact Patricia Berry (pberry@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8742).

Issues Analysis: Water 

Regarding water, the Senate's compromise stimulus legislation as it relates to water and wastewater has a significant change that could affect our region. The Natural Resource Conservation Service's Watershed Rehabilitation Program, which is meant to rehabilitate structural flood control measures, has been cut to $65 million, roughly half of the House amount. Please contact Jesse Elam (jelam@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8688).

Regarding energy, the Senate bill reduces State Energy Program (SEP) funding to $500 million, compared to $3.4 billion in the House. The SEP provides grants and funding to state energy offices for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. The Senate bill also cuts funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program to $2.9 billion, compared with $6.2 billion in the House. This program helps low-income families weatherize their homes to save money and energy. See the Alliance to Save Energy's side-by-side comparison of the House and Senate energy components. Please contact Kristin Heery (kheery@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8802).

Issues Analysis: Economic Development

Regarding economic development, the House bill does not include details on which programs the proposed funding for the Economic Development Administration (EDA) will be distributed through; however, the Senate bill selected two existing programs which currently have an important requirement for eligibility. In order to qualify for funding through either the Public Works grants or the Economic Adjustment Assistance grants, the applicant must have a complete Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for the region. At the current time, there is not a current and complete CEDS for any part of the northeastern Illinois regional; if this remains the case and the requirement is not waived, the CMAP region will likely not be able to qualify for any of these funds. For more, please contact CMAP's Annie Byrne (312-386-8786 or abyrne@cmap.illinois.gov).

Issues Analysis: Workforce Development 

Regarding workforce development, according to the proposed House and Senate bills, most workforce development funding will be allocated according to existing Workforce Investment Act (WIA) legislation. The Illinois State Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) administers the program in Illinois and is required to write a five-year state plan to prioritize funding and document its administration, accessible here. Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs) are created for each Local Investment area. There are seven workforce areas in the Northeastern Illinois region. These boards are responsible for creating a local plan inline with the state plan and programming money according to adult, youth, and dislocated worker programs as described in the WIA legislation. In order to be eligible for funding, service providers must be a certified WIA recipient, information on this is located here. For more, please contact CMAP's Annie Byrne (312-386-8786 or abyrne@cmap.illinois.gov).

Issues Analysis: Telecommunications 

Regarding telecommunications, during the Senate’s weekend negotiations and through the Nelson-Collins amendment, funding for the broadband technology opportunities program was reduced by $2 billion; the current proposed amount to improve access to broadband is $6.25 billion with $350 million for a national mapping and inventory system. The stimulus funding for telecommunications will be channeled through new programs, and it is not known what administration activities will remain at the federal level at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) or what role a state level agency will take. For more, please contact CMAP's Annie Byrne (312-386-8786 or abyrne@cmap.illinois.gov).

Issues Analysis:  Housing

With regard to housing, the Senate compromise bill includes major cuts. The bill eliminates the $2.25 billion second installment of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) and reduces project-based Section 8 housing retrofits to $2.3 billion (compared to $3.5 billion in the House). The House Bill, on the other hand, includes $4.19 billion for NSP and $2.5 billion for Project-based Section 8 retrofits. Neither bill includes funding for the National Housing Trust Fund or expansion of the Housing Choice Voucher program.  The Trust Fund, which was envisioned to help create 1.5 million units of affordable housing, was originally intended to be funded by the government-backed mortgage companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, until they ran into financial problems. Housing advocates are still hopeful that funding for these programs might be included in the conference committee.  For more information, see the CMAP staff's detailed analysis of Housing components in the recovery legislation. Please contact Lee Deuben (ldeuben@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8623) for more. 

White House news conference 

On February 9, 2009, President Obama held his first prime-time news conference, where his opening remarks highlighted the recovery plan's national importance.  This followed a procedural vote that will allow the full Senate to vote tomorrow (Tuesday) on a compromise that was crafted on Friday.  To reach the needed 60 votes, three GOP Senators agreed to vote yes, conditional on reductions that include $40 billion that would have gone to local government via the states for school construction and increases that include tax incentives for home and car buyers.  At his town hall meeting today in Elkhart, Indiana, the president said he hopes some of those education cuts will be restored in the conference committee deliberations that could start on Wednesday if the Senate bill is passed as anticipated on Tuesday. 

We'll have more details in Tuesday's special CMAP weekly update.

by Anne Holub
2/6/09

Photo of Midewin Tallgrass Prairie by Clif Trimble for CMAP.

If you use Flickr to organize and share your photos of northeastern Illinois, then we'd love to see more of you! Check out our new GO TO 2040 Flickr page, and great photos in the Explore Northeastern Illinois Flickr pool. There you can check out (and submit) photos of northeastern Illinois including Chicago, Cook County, Will County, Lake County, Kendall County, DuPage County, and McHenry County. 

Waterfall in Kane County. Photo by Flickr user Matt Tomasek.

In the photo pool, we'd especially like to see pictures depicting topics such as land use, housing, environment, health & human services, transportation, and economic & community development. Plus. photos submitted to the pool might be selected for use here in the GO TO 2040 blog, and other places on the CMAP web sites.

We look forward to seeing your photos of northeastern Illinois!