The preferred Regional Scenario. This fall, CMAP is developing the "preferred Regional Scenario" that describes the key policy directions that GO TO 2040 will address. The current draft is being presented and discussed at all of our working committees, as well as with partners around the region, in October and November. Please let us know if you have any feedback or comments on it as we continue our work on it, prior to the CMAP Board and MPO Policy Committee considering it for endorsement at their January 2010 meeting.

Recovery blog.  Do you have questions about the stimulus package?  There’s never been a better time to visit our Recovery blog. This week we posted a new ARRA resource guide for anyone interested in learning more, including how to track and map stimulus dollars.  We've also added a new Recovery blog category called Resources, so you can easily find our tracking-related blog entries. We also blogged this week about the rollout of recipient reporting on Recovery.gov. To learn more about what CMAP has done regionally regarding ARRA, check out this new flyer.

Stimulus in the news. There was a very interesting article in The New York Times yesterday regarding the stimulus and positive and negative long-term benefits of prioritizing shovel-ready projects that can take a longer time to help the economy when compared to "programs intended to keep people afloat." One of the stimulus projects spotlighted in the article was for the construction of a minor league baseball ballpark to be completed by Lake County-based EquityOne Sports Development. The business owner was able to apply for $15 million in low-interest bonds from McHenry County, which can now issue $27 million in low-interest bonds for private projects from stimulus funds.

Algonquin environmental plan.  The Algonquin Village Board recently endorsed Algonquin’s first formal Environmental Action Plan (EAP), which had been developed by the Village’s ECO Committee. Standing for "engage, conserve, optimize," the ECO Committee was formed in 2008 as a group of staff members dedicated to fostering and coordinating the Village’s environmental initiatives and to working collaboratively towards meeting the Village’s sustainability goals. This plan will be updated on an annual basis and will serve as a critical component to the overall vision of the Village of Algonquin. See http://www.algonquin.org/eco to view the document.  Send comments or questions to ECO@algonquin.org.

Climate events.  To recognize International Climate Action Day tomorrow, metropolitan Chicago will be the scene of a number of events, as summarized in this story by the Tribune's Victoria Pierce.  Click here for a map of local activities.

Joliet downtown.  The Medill News Service had a story this week about plans for downtown Joliet as presented at a recent CMAP Land Use Committee meeting.

NARC freight report.  The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) has released its Building Planning Capacity Between Public and Private Sector Partners in the Freight Industry: A Resource Manual. NARC, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) developed the report to help public and private transportation planners address the movement of goods. 

Wastewater Committee. Please note that the Wastewater Committee will not meet in November. Also, committee liaison Dawn Thompson is on maternity leave, and in her absence the committee and related FPA issues are being handled by CMAP water resources engineer Megan Elberts (312-386-8794 or melberts@cmap.illinois.gov).

Green Infrastructure event.  Chicago Wilderness will host "Creating a Sustainable Future Using Green Infrastructure" on December 1-3, 2009, at Northern Illinois University's Hoffman Estates location, 5555 Trillium Blvd.  This workshop is intended for local elected and appointed officials, municipal and county planners, ecosystem partnerships, townships, park districts, landscape architects and engineers (including consulting firms) and others interested in sustainability.  Registration for the three-day workshop is $75.00, which includes lunch and textbooks.  Enrollment is limited to 50 participants, with a limit of two per organization. Contact Lauren Plescia (lauren.plescia@chicagowilderness.org or 312-742-4907) before November 20 for registration details.  A one-day option is also available on December 1 for $25.00 (including lunch).

HSR meeting.  At 10:00 a.m. on October 27, 2009, State Representative Elaine Nekritz and Midwest High Speed Rail Executive Director, Rick Harnish will provide an update on recent federal and state initiatives for high-speed rail in Illinois and the midwest, including the Chicago-Milwaukee route's impact on the north suburbs.  The location is Baxter Healthcare, One Baxter Parkway, Deerfield, IL 60015.  Click here to RSVP.

Underpass beautification.  The Hyde Park Progress blog has an entry with pictures of some very nice mosaics being placed in an underpass at 57th and Lake Shore Drive.  Local artist Mirtes Zwierzynski teamed up with area schools to create the murals, which are privately funded according to the blog.

Green retrofit featured.  The Center for Neighborhood Technology is featured in a new market research study, Green Building Retrofit & Renovation: Rapidly Expanding Market Opportunities through Existing Buildings. CNT’s LEED Platinum office building demonstrates how energy efficient retrofits can be a good investment.

In the GO TO 2040 blog. This week CMAP’s Lindsay Banks posted a beautiful photo of the prairie grass in Des Plaines as our Monday Flickr Photo. We also talked about the Metropolitan Planning Council's What Makes Your Place Great Roundtable next week, and CMAP’s Shana Alford wrote about water pollution cleanup in the region.