March 23, 2006

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3E Links Distribution

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EVENTS (Click on Links)

·        Sustainable Pittsburgh featured on WPXI’s “Talking Pittsburgh"

·        Regional Forum Series Coming Together To Revitalize Our Communities: Cross-Community  and Cross-County Collaboration

·        Strengthening the Manufacturing Economy

·        EPA@50: A Vision for 2020

·        Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Energy Conference

·        ULI Presents Nora Lee “The Mom Factor”

·        Champions of Sustainability  "Transportation - The Key to a Prosperous Future"

·        Growing Greener Conservation by Design: Putting Conservation into Local Codes

·        6th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Smart Growth Conference

·        “Prescription Preservation:  The Cure for Ailing Communities”

LEGISLATIVE ALERTS

·        Visitability Tax Credit

RESOURCES

·        Department of Community and Economic Development Consolidated Plan; 2005 Annual Performance Report Availability

·        Sustainable Dream Job: PA Cleanways Seeks ED

·        The 2006 Penn State Poll, 18th Annual Omnibus Survey is Now Accepting Questions

·        More North Versailles homes in expressway path

·        Sustainability Assessment Prepared for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

·        Big global greenhouse gas cuts "affordable"

·        Making the connection:  Transit-Oriented Development and Jobs

·        From Wall Street to Your Street: Financing Smart Growth

·        PG study of local women in the executive ranks finds plenty of room for improvement

·        The Pittsburgh Nonprofit Summit proved that the region abounds with good intentions -- and action

·        Region's economy slowly getting better

EVENTS

 

Sustainable Pittsburgh featured on WPXI’s “Talking Pittsburgh "

 

Tune in:

Saturday, March 25

5:30 am - 6 am

WPXI-TV Channel 11 in Pittsburgh

 

Saturday, March 25

4:30 pm - 5 pm

The Pittsburgh Cable News Channel (PCNC) Comcast Channel 35

Sustainable Pittsburgh , Executive Director, Court Gould and Co-Chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, Bracken Burns will discuss regional issues ranging from community redevelopment, governance and regional cooperation, to the transportation funding crisis

 

The interview on WPXI’s “Talking Pittsburgh” (hosted by WPXI Anchor, Bob Bruce), stems from interest generated by Sustainable Pittsburgh 's Annual Equitable Development Summit: Shared Prosperity, Stronger Regions: An Agenda for Rebuilding Older Core Cities held last December as well as from the current Transportation Funding Initiative

 

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Regional Forum Series Coming Together To Revitalize Our Communities: Cross-Community  and Cross-County Collaboration

 

Tonight!

6 - 8 pm

Human Services Center

519 Penn Ave.

Turtle Creek, Allegheny County

Hosted by Human Services Center , home of Mon Valley Providers Council

 

Friday, March 31

9 – 11:30 am

Community College of Beaver County

1 Campus Drive

Monaca, Beaver County          

Hosted by Community College of Beaver County

 

Monday, April 10

6 – 8 pm

Hill House       

1835 Centre Ave.

Pittsburgh

Hosted by Hill House Association

 

Thursday, April 20

6 - 8 pm

Salem Lutheran Church          

301 East Pittsburgh Street ,

Delmont, Westmoreland County          

Hosted by Blairsville Improvement Group and Vandergrift Improvement Project

 

No Fee to Attend

Register: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org subject “Regional Forums” or phone 412-258-6644

 

Building toward the May 19, 2006 Smart Growth Conference, a series of regional forums will be held to identify a focused set of broadly supported policies to revitalize the region's core communities as regional economic assets.

 

These forums are designed to do the following:

 

·         Serve as an opportunity for public input to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's updating of the long range transportation and development plan "Project Region."

·         Consider community needs and identify common barriers as well as opportunities for sustainable redevelopment.

·         Build on existing efforts to provide technical assistance to develop a resource network for sustainable redevelopment.  Attending     each forum will be resource/technical assistance partners who will be ready to follow-up.

·         Review a set of currently emerging state and regional policy options and assess their match to local needs.

·         Enhance understanding of our communities’ interdependence.

·         Demonstrate that the needs of individual communities are often mutually shared across the region.

·         Grow consensus on a focused set of public policy solutions and collaborations for their implementation to renew SWPA.

 

The forums are hosted by the Regional Coalition of Community Builders, PA Department of Economic Development, Sustainable Pittsburgh , University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics, and Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

 

To register for this and/or other upcoming forums, either email info@sustainablepittsburgh.org or telephone 412-258-6644.

Please continue to check your 3E Links e-news service for forums scheduled in your region.

 

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Strengthening the Manufacturing Economy

 

Wednesday, March 29

11:45 am - 1:15 pm

The Omni William Penn

530 William Penn Place

Downtown Pittsburgh

Cost: Members: $25, Non-Members: $35, Students: $15

Reservations Required reservations@econclubpgh.org  no later than March 27, 2006.

 

The heartbeat of our economy is still manufacturing despite a growing perception that it is not. It is still a major element of our regional economy and America is manufacturing more product than ever before because of significant improvements in productivity.  Still a significant amount of new production is going offshore.  John Engler, a former three-term Governor of Michigan and President of the National Association of Manufacturers will discuss what must be done.

 

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EPA@50: A Vision for 2020

 

Thursday, April 6

4:30 pm - 5:30pm

Carnegie Mellon, Breed Hall (MMCH 103)

Contact: (412) 268-7121

 

To achieve sustainable development, past regulatory approaches will not suffice. As we look toward the future, rapid population and economic growth will certainly cause significant stress on Earth's resources. This lecture will discuss how man and nature can coexist and mutually prosper in the face of present and upcoming challenges. How countries manage their natural resources may well determine their future levels of income, well-being and national security.

 

The speaker, Dr. Hecht, Director for Sustainable Development, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, is an internationally known expert on sustainability and environmental security. He recently served as Associate Director for Sustainable Development at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Director of International Environmental Affairs for the National Security Council. He was the White House coordinator for the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.  He earned a B.S. degree at Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. degree at Case Western Reserve University .

 

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Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Energy Conference

 

Saturday, April 8

8 am - 5 pm

Gemmell Multi-Purpose Room

Clarion University of Pennsylvania

Conference Fee: $50 per person

Register by March 15 and save $15!

Contact: 814-393-2227

www.clarion.edu/ce

 

As the price of gas at the pump and the pipeline increases, attend the Northwest Penn Regional Energy Conference to hear and share energy ideas with the best minds in Pennsylvania . Representatives of business, industry, and education are ready to talk about how to conserve and generate energy and move to more cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy alternatives.

 

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ULI Presents Nora Lee “The Mom Factor”

 

Tuesday, April 18

8 am – 10 am

The Rivers Club

One Oxford Center

301 Grant St .

Downtown Pittsburgh

http://sdm3.rm04.net/servlet/MailView?ms=NDgxNDA3S0&r=MjMyNDEwNDY3S0&j=MTE3ODMzMzcS1&mt=1

 

Businesses stand to profit by attracting Moms—a market often ignored, yet ripe with opportunity. It is well known that women’s buying power is tremendous. On average, women make 85 percent of the buying transactions, and they make the decisions on everything from where to eat, to what movies to see, to what household items to buy— including electronics and cars. As women, Moms share in this economic power, but command special attention for two reasons—their sheer numbers and their distinctive buying behavior. Of the 108 million adult women in the United States , an estimated 82 million are Moms, and about 32 million of those have children at home. That represents three-quarters of this feminine financial power, making it essential for businesses that want to capitalize on this market to understand that Moms think, act, and spend money differently from their counterparts with no children.

 

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Champions of Sustainability  "Transportation - The Key to a Prosperous Future"

 

Friday, April 28

8 am - 9:30 am

Omni William Penn Hotel, downtown Pittsburgh

Keynote:  Anne Canby, president of the national Surface Transportation Policy Project www.transact.org

9:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Transportation Update session

No fee to attend; please register today as seating is limited

To register, call (412) 258-6642 or email info@sustainablepittsburgh.org

 

Anne Canby, president of the national Surface Transportation Policy Project will address the critical role of transportation to the economic vitality of regions as well as its importance to redeveloping communities and social equity.  She'll conclude introducing a reaction panel of local leaders who will discuss what's at stake given the window of time for the Governor's Transportation Finance and Reform Commission to make recommendations for long-term reliable funding solutions to address the on-going transportation funding crisis.   A local reaction panel will follow.  Panel members are:  Micelle L. Mixell, AICP; Mary Jo Morandini, Beaver County Transit Authority; and Richard C. Feder, AICP, Port Authority.

 

Following the Champs forum, the public is also invited to attend a transportation update session. This will include introduction to the 2006 Transportation Funding Initiative to be held in the same location from 9:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (See http://www.sustainablepittsburgh.org/TLC/transportation_reform_and_funding_commission_testimony_01_26_06.htm).  Anne Canby will provide an update on the new federal transportation bill (SAFETEA-LU) and update will be provided on the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's progress on the region's Transportation Improvement Program and Long Range Transportation and Development Plan (Project Region).

 

Champions of Sustainability is supported by The Mellon Financial Corporation and The Heinz Endowments.  Media partner WDUQ 90.5 FM

 

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Growing Greener Conservation by Design: Putting Conservation into Local Codes

 

Thursday, May 4

5 pm - 9 pm

Penn Township Municipal Building

2001 Municipal Court 

Harrison City , PA 15636  

Cost: $25

Contact: 724-836-7048

 

What is Growing Greener? Growing Greener is a statewide community planning initiative, a collaborative effort of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services, the Natural Lands Trust, and an advisory committee comprised of officials from state and local agencies, non-profits and the private sector. Growing Greener is designed to help communities use the development regulation process to their advantage to protect interconnected networks of greenways and permanent open space.

 

If you would prefer to see new development create more livable communities in the process, the Growing Greener approach might be for you!

 

The program offers multi-media educational material and technical assistance to communities so that conservation and development objectives may be achieved simultaneously, in a manner that is fair to all parties concerned.

 

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6th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Smart Growth Conference

 

Coming Together to Revitalize Our Communities: RenewSWPA Cross-Community and Cross County Collaboration

Friday, May 19

7:30 am – 4:30 pm

Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh

Keynote: David Soule, Associate Director

Center for Urban & Regional Policy, Northeastern University

Cost: Early Registration: $30.  Registration after May 12: $40 (free to elected officials)

Call (412) 258-6642 for early registration

http://www.sustainablepittsburgh.org/2006_Conference/main.htm

 

The 2006 SWPA Smart Growth Conference will address strategies to revitalize the region's core communities and seek to identify a set of policy opportunities around which there is consensus for collaboration. 

 

Leading up to the conference, a series of community forums will be orchestrated around the region to identify common barriers and opportunities to redevelopment.  Common needs and policy options identified through the forums will be presented at the annual conference toward developing consensus on policies to renew Southwestern Pennsylvania .  Also considered will be ideas and next steps for coordinated technical assistance and sharing of best practices.  

 

Please mark your calendars for May 19 and register today.

 

The annual Smart Growth conference and regional forums are hosted by, Pennsylvania Department of County and Economic Development, Regional Coalition of Community Builders, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission,  Sustainable Pittsburgh , and the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics.

 

Purchase Table Display Space during the 6th Annual 2006 Smart Growth Conference

Cost: $150 for shared table space/ $225 for a whole table

 

Contact: (412) 258-6646 or info@sustainablepittsburgh.org

             

 

For the first time ever Sustainable Pittsburgh invites organizations, planning consultants, developers, banks, CPA firms, service providers and others to purchase exhibit space at the 6th Annual 2006 Smart Growth Conference: Coming Together to Revitalize Our Communities: Cross-community and Cross-County Collaboration on May 19, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.

 

This is a prime opportunity to show your product to 150 - 200 targeted community leaders, public officials, city and county planners, community development organizations, and many, many more! Please call (412) 258-6646 to reserve your table space.

 

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“Prescription Preservation:  The Cure for Ailing Communities”

 

Monday, May 22

6 pm – 8 pm

James Gallery

413 South Main Street ( West End )

Pittsburgh

Registration $10 for YPA Members / $20 for non-members

http://www.youngpreservationists.org; info@youngpreservationists.org

 

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LEGISLATIVE ALERT

 

Visitability Tax Credit

 

Senate Bill 1158, if passed, counties, municipalities and school districts will be allowed to take off $2,500 from a home's assessed value to offset the increase in value that often comes with handicapped-accessible alterations.

 

http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2006/03/13/daily43.html

 

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RESOURCES

 

Department of Community and Economic Development Consolidated Plan; 2005 Annual Performance Report Availability

 

2005 APR reports on activities that were outlined in the Consolidated Plan for Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2000 through 2005 as well as the Action Plan for 2005.

 

http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol36/36-11/430.html

 

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Sustainable Dream Job: PA Cleanways Seeks ED

 

PA Cleanways of Allegheny County, Inc. (PACWAC) is a grassroots, non-profit organization whose mission is to empower people to eliminate illegal dumping and littering in Allegheny County An illegal dump is the unlawful dumping of municipal or commercial waste.  Illegal dumping is not only an environmental issue, but it also affects economic development, public health and safety, and the community and self esteem of residents who live in blighted neighborhoods.  An affiliate of PA CleanWays, Inc., PACWAC has a proven track record in conducting cleanups, recruiting volunteers, and working with communities to effect positive change.  The Executive Director (ED) will be responsible for managing all aspects of PACWAC, including fundraising, program management, membership recruitment, staff development, marketing/communications, and financial management. 

 

http://www.pacleanways.org/positions.html 

 

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The 2006 Penn State Poll, 18th Annual Omnibus Survey is Now Accepting Questions

 

The Penn State Poll is a random telephone survey of 850 Pennsylvanians, 18 years and older, conducted by The Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg. The Poll is designed to allow organizations with statewide interests to contribute customized questions to the survey while sharing fixed survey costs with other sponsoring organizations. The result is an extremely cost-effective way to poll statewide in Pennsylvania under the aegis of one of the nation’s premier research universities. Sponsors of past Penn State Polls have used the results of the survey to track public policy issues, measure general attitudes, awareness, and knowledge of their organizations, and measure satisfaction with organizational services and performance.

 

http://csr.hbg.psu.edu/poll.htm

 

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More North Versailles homes in expressway path

 

Representatives of the Turnpike Commission had met with the North Versailles board of commissioners nearly half a year ago about the possible changes, but Commissioner Dennis Dull said the turnpike representatives had been dismissive about the plan that the commission is currently proposing.  "They told us not to say anything because this would be the plan they probably wouldn't use," Mr. Dull said. He said he was told it would be too expensive to be a viable plan. Now he's dealing with constituents who are faced with displacement because of this plan that the commission had dismissed.

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06075/670829.stm

 

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Sustainability Assessment Prepared for the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

 

Rather than try to create a single, satisfactory definition of sustainable development, many see the value in understanding sustainability as a set of principles, as an approach to issues, as an operating framework, or as an evolving process in the sense of an ongoing “sustainability transition.” ...Global and National Trends in Sustainability – and Why it is Imperative That West Virginia Move to a Sustainability Ethic...A Sustainable West Virginia involves a new way of thinking about the ever-present connections between economics, environment and community. Decision-makers in a Sustainable West Virginia must be constantly aware of the ripple effects of their decisions on natural resources of the state, on the ability to attract new industries and increase the job base and on social well-being. This awareness must be constant and the attention given to all three dimensions must be vigilant...While staving off the tide of poverty and increasing economic development is a high priority for policy makers, we do believe that such an agenda can not only co-exist with environmental stewardship and social equity, it must be directly linked. Only then will the elder generations of West Virginia be able to look into the eyes of their children and know that they will be left with an environment and more importantly a culture that is more robust than the one that exists today.

 

http://www.dep.state.wv.us/Docs/8245_Sustainability%20Assessment%20-%20Final.pdf

 

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Big global greenhouse gas cuts "affordable"

 

World greenhouse gas emissions could be halved by 2050 at a cost of just 1% of global gross domestic product, according to an analysis unveiled by the German environment agency last Thursday. Without action to restrain emissions, the cost of global warming-linked weather changes could cut 10% of world GDP, it warns.

 

http://www.wbcsd.org/plugins/DocSearch/details.asp?type=DocDet&ObjectId=MTg1NTE

 

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Making the connection:  Transit-Oriented Development and Jobs

 

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is growing in popularity, but most of the focus of such projects is on environmental benefits and innovative design. This report takes another approach. We look at the ways TOD can serve the needs of working families—particularly those with low and moderate income—by providing affordable housing and/or better access to jobs. This is done through an examination of 25 TOD projects around the country that to varying degrees meet the housing and employment needs of those with limited means.

 

http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/makingtheconnection.pdf

 

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From Wall Street to Your Street: Financing Smart Growth

 

A report from the Funders' Network, reassess the current methods for smart growth finance and sketches out two different ''fixes'' for the problem of financing smart growth. The paper also addresses the history of both finance and the built environment in the United States , in order to put our current situation in context. Finally, the paper offers several case study examples from the Washington , D.C. , region that help illustrate smart growth finance strategies.

 

http://www.fundersnetwork.org/usr_doc/From_Wall_Street.pdf