Administration Unveils EDA Reauthorization Plan

On April 21, the administration released its proposal for reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration (EDA). EDA’s current authorization expires at the end of fiscal year 2008. Specific provisions of the administration’s plan include:

• Authorization of only $100 million for EDA’s economic development assistance programs for fiscal year 2008, equal to the President’s budget request and nearly $150 million under current spending. The proposal then authorizes “such as sums as necessary” through 2013.
• Provides authority to approve a request from an RLF recipient to convert project assets held in conjunction with an RLF project.
• Provides EDA with new authority to approve an RLF recipients request to “extinguish” the federal reversionary interest by repaying EDA for its share of the project.
• Provides the Secretary of Commerce with the ability to transfer up to two percent annually of the funds appropriated for economic development assistance programs to develop and maintain an automated RLF tracking system.
• Creates Economic Development Award program to recognize innovative economic development strategies. Program provides recognition for purposes of disseminating best practices.

Congress has yet to act on the administration’s plan and no Member of Congress has agreed to introduce the bill. It is unclear, given the tight congressional calendar, if legislation will move this session.

NADO is in the process of working with staff from authorizing committees on legislation that encompasses the priorities identified by the nationwide network of economic development districts (EDDs) in a survey conducted by NADO last summer. In addition, NADO continues to actively work with the House and Senate Appropriations committees to provide increased funding for EDA.

To access a copy of the administration’s reauthorization proposal, visit www.nado.org/legaffair/reauth08.pdf. To view the results of NADO’s EDD survey, visit www.nado.org/legaffair/survey.pdf. For more information, contact NADO Legislative Director Jason Boehlert at 202.624.8590 or jboehlert@nado.org.

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Senate Committees Reach Agreement on Temporary Trust Fund Fix

On April 25, leaders of the Senate Finance and Commerce committees reached a tentative agreement on legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and provide short-term solvency for the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which is expected to experience a $3.3 billion deficit in FY2009.

The measure was initially included in legislation (S 2345) the Senate Finance Committee adopted last year. Under the new agreement, the provision will be included in legislation (HR 2881) the Senate will take up the week of April 28 to reauthorize the FAA. Upon passage by the Senate, the bill would still need to be conferenced between the two chambers.

The bill provides nearly $3.4 billion from the Treasury to reimburse the HTF for expenses made in association with emergencies and natural disasters, which should have been covered by the General Fund. The bill temporarily discontinues transfers from the HTF to the General Fund for “amounts paid with regard to gasoline used on farms, used for some non-highway purposes or by local transit systems, relating to fuels not used for taxable purposes, and income tax credits for certain uses of fuels.” The provision is expected to save $745 million. In addition, the bill contains a provision designed to improve tax law compliance, which is expected to generate $900 million in new revenue.

In its budget plan, to extend the life of the HTF, the administration is proposing to allow transfers from the mass transit account of the HTF to the highway account. The proposal has garnered significant opposition from many lawmakers as well as transit and highway advocates.

For more information, contact NADO Legislative Director Jason Boehlert at 202.624.8590 or jboehlert@nado.org.
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Farm Bill Negotiators Reach Tentative Agreement

On April 25, House and Senate Farm Bill negotiators announced a tentative agreement on legislation (HR 2419) to extend USDA programs. The bill provides a total of $570 billion over 10 years with new funding for farm-related tax credits, a disaster aid program and food stamps. 

According to early reports, the new funding will be paid for in part by a $400 million cut to direct farm payments and an extension of customs user fees paid by importers, a revenue-raiser favored by the Bush administration.

NADO has received reports that the bill includes $150 million in mandatory funding for Rural Development programs although the specific distribution of the funding is not yet known. Nutrition programs will get a funding boost and funding for food stamps and food aid would top out at about $10.2 billion, up from an initial proposal of $9.5 billion. In addition, lawmakers cut $250 million from a $4 billion disaster-aid fund that was a top priority for a number of Senators.

Specific legislative details and funding still have to be worked out and are all subject to ratification by the full conference committee. Agriculture Committee staff members planned to continue discussing outstanding issues. Conference committee leaders expect to complete negotiations April 30 making it possible to get a final bill to President Bush by May 6.

Separately, on April 25, President Bush signed a new one-week extension (S 2903) of existing farm policies to give Congress more time to negotiate details of the new Farm Bill.  The extension continues current farm policies through May 2. For more information, contact NADO Legislative Representative Amy Linehan at 202.624.8177 or alinehan@nado.org.
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NADO Joins PDM Reauthorization Effort

On April 17, NADO joined members of the Stafford Act Coalition in a letter urging leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to support reauthorization of the Predisaster Mitigation Program (PDM).

The letter calls on the Committees to introduce and pass legislation to reauthorize the program and to conduct oversight hearings to explore the lessons learned and the successes of the program. The current authorization for the PDM program expires September 30.

Other organizations signing onto the letter include the American Public Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Council of State Governments, International Association of Emergency Managers, National Association of Counties, National Emergency Management Association and the National League of Cities. For a copy of the letter, contact NADO Legislative Representative Amy Linehan at 202.624.8177 or alinehan@nado.org.

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NADO Staff Continues National Outreach

Executive Director Matthew Chase provided the keynote address at the annual meeting of Economic Development Council of Colorado in Burlington, Colorado on April 23-25.  Chase discussed global and national trends in regional economic development, outlook for the 2008 elections and the status of pending community, economic and transportation budgets and legislative proposals at the federal level.  To view the presentation, visit www.edcconline.org/EndUserFiles/8002.pdf.

Chase also served as a panel moderator at the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) stakeholder training conference for the Austin and Atlanta regional offices.  The panel focused on the role of infrastructure development and planning in the global economy.  The conference was held in New Orleans on April 16-18.  To view the EDA New Orleans conference presentations, visit www.edaneworleans2008.com.
 
Legislative Director Jason Boehlert addressed participants of the Merced County Association of Governments (CA) Washington Fly-In on April 21. Boehlert discussed the status of federal community and economic development, transportation and other infrastructure related programs. To learn more about the Merced County AOG, visit www.mcagov.org.

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NADO News and Notes

Kissel Appointed to Transportation Committee

NADO Program Manager Carrie Kissel has been appointed to serve as a young committee member of the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Standing Committee on Transportation and Economic Development from 2008 through 2011. 

TRB is a division of the National Research Council (NRC), a private, nonprofit institution that provides expertise in science and technology to the government, the public and the scientific and engineering communities. The NRC is jointly administered by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. For more information, visit the committee’s Web site at www.tedcommittee.com or contact Kissel at ckissel@nado.org or 202.624.8829.

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Welcome New Member

Please join us in welcoming Uintah Basin Association of Governments (Roosevelt, UT).  Laurie Brummond is the Executive Director.  For additional information visit, www.ubaog.org.

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Member Upgrade

NADO is pleased to announce that National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Arlington, VA has upgraded to the Sustaining Associate level.  Jane Marden is the Director of Community and Economic Development. For additional information, visit www.nreca.org.

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New Executive Director and CEO

Ted Kourousis is the new Executive Director of North West Iowa PDC.  Kourousis has been with the district since 1989. Prior to becoming Executive Director he was the Community Services Director.

Charles Webb has been named President & CEO of Eastern Maine Development Corp., in Bangor, ME. For additional information on Eastern Maine Development Corp., visit www.edmc.org.

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NADO Calendar of Events

Four-State Professional Development Conference, May 5 - 7, 2008
Stoney Creek Inn, St. Joseph, MO

EDA Philadelphia and Chicago Regional Economic Development Conference, May 12 - 14, 2008 Crowne Plaza Cleveland - City Center, Cleveland, OH

Southeastern Regional Transportation Forum, May 22 - 23, 2008
Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, Raleigh, NC

Board of Directors Summer Meeting, June 7 - 9, 2008
Grouse Mountain Lodge, Whitefish, MT

Green Concepts for a Regional Economy: Making Economic Development
a Sustainable Practice, June 18 - 19, 2008
Shasta College Health Sciences & University Center, Redding, CA

Southwest Regional Transportation Workshop: Exploring Models for State-Local Rural Official Consultation, July 10, 2008
Omni Austin Hotel Downtown, Austin, TX

2008 National Rural Transportation Peer Learning Conference, August 17 - 19, 2008
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, Duluth, MN

2008 Annual Training Conference, October 3 - 7, 2008
Hilton Anchorage, Anchorage, AK

2009 Washington Policy Conference, March 2 - 4, 2009
Marriott Crystal Gateway, Arlington, VA

2009 Annual Training Conference, August 29 - September 1, 2009
Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Chicago, IL

2010 NADO Annual Training Conference, August 28 - 31, 2010
Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, San Diego, CA 

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