Item A: Approval of Federal Priorities Projects List

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BACKGROUND The United Front (UF) partnership of local governments in the Lane County region develops and maintains a concise and realistic federal agenda. Annual federal priorities are based on local and regional needs. By assessing local federal priorities in conjunction with anticipated legislative funding opportunities, we greatly increase the prospects for success. This approach has proven very helpful for congressional delegations, for several reasons. Foremost, the delegation members do not need to reconcile the different interests of a particular region. A joint local effort relieves them of playing the role of arbitrator or mediator in sometimes difficult matters of local importance. In turn, the City’s congressional delegation can focus on advocating strongly for widely accepted local priorities, which is a role they have repeatedly stated they prefer. Furthermore, the extensive research and development that goes into producing the Federal Agenda eases the burden on congressional staff in terms of preparing project justifications and advocating for funding. The delegation’s staff often comes to depend on the reliability and accessibility of the UF’s Federal Agenda, and the local staff who produce it. Consequently, the process helps build solid, ongoing relationships that extend far beyond the merits of any one set of Federal Agenda projects. The City Council must adopt the Federal Priorities Project List each year. The recommended Federal Priorities Project List began with a review of opportunities for funding in the next Federal budget and goals that are specific to Eugene or the area. In addition, SAFETEA-LU, which expired September 30, 2008, is up for reauthorization. This federal transportation bill establishes funding levels and policies for the federal government’s highway, highway safety, transit, motor carrier, and some rail programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The recommended Federal Transportation Reauthorization Project List began with a review of opportunities for funding in the next reauthorization and goals that are specific to Eugene or the area. On November 20, 2008, the IGR Committee met with staff and our federal lobby firm Smith, Dawson and Andrews, to discuss and review a list of potential priority projects for the 2010 federal fiscal cycle and the transportation reauthorization bill. From that meeting, a list of possible federal funding opportunities was developed. For several reasons, Congress did not finalize the Fiscal Year 2009 budget and has adopted a continuing resolution that does not expire until March 6, 2009. Because the City did not receive funding for any of its federal priority projects in 2008, staff and SDA has recommended a continuation of the 2008 Federal Priority Project List into 2009, with one exception – the West Eugene Wetlands Environmental Education Center project. After several discussions between staff, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN), it has been determined that WREN is not able to meet its pledge of raising funds and administering the education center at this time. Given this, it was recommended that the City remove the West Eugene Wetlands Environmental Education Center project from the Federal Priority Project List at this time. The Federal Priority Project List and the Federal Transportation Reauthorization Project List recommendations were presented to the IGR Committee on January 13, 2009. The IGR Committee L:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M090121\S090121A.doc