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Legislative Action Alert: Cuts to revenue sharing could be included in state budget bill On March 22, 2007, the Michigan Senate passed Senate Bill 220, a bill which provides for cuts to the state’s fiscal year 2007 General Fund. The cuts include $40 million in reductions to statutory revenue sharing. Since then, the House of Representatives passed a substitute bill, which does not include cuts to revenue sharing. A conference committee of three House members and three Senate members will soon begin to negotiate the points of difference between the two versions of the bill. SEMCOG urges all members to contact their legislator and members of the conference committee to communicate the impact of further cuts to revenue sharing in each community. While local governments understand that the legislature must address shortfalls in the FY 2007 general fund, cutting revenue sharing is not the solution! It is very important that they hear from you. Additional information and contact information for the conference committee members can be found on SEMCOG’s home page under Planning Issues. Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Membership Manager.
2007 Federal review of regional transportation planning scheduled As a region, local communities come together to promote a vision for a transportation system that is safe, accessible, and reliable. SEMCOG is responsible for coordinating that vision. Periodically, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) review the regional transportation planning process to ensure it is in keeping with federal laws and regulations. This process is known as "certification." A positive certification review is necessary to maintain the region's eligibility for federal transportation funding, thereby making implementation of our vision possible. FHWA and FTA will be conducting the 2007 regional certification review from June 11-14, 2007. Local communities are encouraged to submit letters supporting the regional transportation planning process and SEMCOG's role in it. Letters should be addressed to James Cramer, Federal Highway Administration, Michigan Division, 315 W. Allegan St., Room 201, Lansing, MI 48933 or William Wheeler, Federal Transit Administration, Region V, 200 W. Adams St., Room 2410, Chicago, IL 60606. Additional information can be found at www.semcog.org, including details on the public meetings to be held on June 11 and the review meetings to be conducted on June 12-14 with SEMCOG. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
SEMCOG University: Grant writing: An overview SEMCOG invites elected officials to obtain an overview of the grant writing process, and learn from the experiences and success of local grants that are positively impacting the community. SEMCOG University presents Grant Writing: An overview on Tuesday, June 5, 2007, from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. (registration begins at 8:30 a.m.) in SEMCOG’s Buhl Building office in downtown Detroit. When financial difficulties arise, many local governments consider applying for grant funding to supplement existing or to replace lost funding. A well-prepared and written grant proposal is the first step for a community to obtain resources for implementing projects. Learn about tips for choosing the grant that is right for your community, misperceptions commonly associated with grants, and responsibilities with administering grant funds. The June 5th SEMCOG University workshop is free-of-charge for members. Seating is limited. You are encouraged to reserve a spot by Tuesday, May 29, 2007. Contact: Raymonia Dale, SEMCOG Administrative Executive Assistant, to RSVP. Additionally, a grant-writing workshop is scheduled for July 16-17, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. in SEMCOG's Buhl Building in downtown Detroit. This workshop is for technical staff who will be writing grants and is hosted by SEMCOG and presented by Grant Writing USA. For more information on this upcoming workshop, visit www.grantwritingusa.com.
Water Week is June 2-10 SEMCOG announces the region's third annual Water Week will be held June 2-10. The purpose of Water Week is to celebrate, learn about, and enhance the abundant water resources in Southeast Michigan through recreation, education, and stewardship activities. Water Week activities include:
Additional events are also planned throughout the region. Anchor Bay, St. Clair River, as well as along Johnson Creek, Ecorse Creek, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River, are just a few examples of locations of events. Examples of activities include river and stream cleanups, fishing events, nature walks, and river crossing sign installation. Local communities in Southeast Michigan are encouraged to sponsor an event during Water Week. For more information on events in the region, or to publicize an event, visit the Ours to Protect Web site at www.semcog.org. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
U.S. Coast Guard seeks public comment on Ambassador Bridge proposal The U.S. Coast Guard announces the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for construction of a six-lane, cable-stayed bridge over the Detroit River, just west of the existing Ambassador Bridge. The new bridge will connect directly into the existing plazas in Windsor and Detroit. Once the new structure is completed, the existing Ambassador Bridge will be taken out of service in order to evaluate and make any necessary repairs. The Coast Guard requests public comments on the proposed design of the planned bridge and potential impacts to the existing Ambassador Bridge. The existing bridge structure is eligible for listing for the National Register of Historic Places. The draft EA is available for viewing or downloading on the Ambassador Bridge Web site at www.ambassadorbridge.com. Click on the Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Project in the center of the page. Comments should be submitted in writing by June 1, 2007. Please mail comments to: Commander (dpb), Ninth Coast Guard District, 1240 E. 9th Street - Room 2025, Cleveland, Ohio 44199. Contact: Carmine Polombo, SEMCOG Transportation Director.
Emerald Ash Borer preparedness plan available for communities The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Agriculture announce the publication of the Emerald Ash Borer Community Preparedness Plan. The purpose of this document is to assist Michigan communities in preparing for and managing their local Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) impact. It is designed as a tool to help establish a framework for local EAB preparedness and community action by outlining major issues and providing guidance on how to address them. Whether your community is currently dealing with EAB or will be in the future, developing, communicating, and implementing an EAB preparedness plan will enable you to address public and private needs in an efficient and effective manner. The plan addresses common community needs such as budgets and timelines and includes resources that assist with tree identification and removal activities, using and disposing of wood material, and tree replanting guidelines. A highlight of the plan is an EAB Case Study of the City of Westland and the methods they used in managing the impact of large-scale tree removal activities. The Emerald Ash Borer Community Preparedness Plan is available in PDF at www.michigan.gov/mda. Contact: Chuck Hersey, SEMCOG Environment Manager.
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