Item 3A: Federal Priorities - Laserfiche WebLink

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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 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 begins with a review of opportunities for funding in the next Federal budget and goals that are specific to Eugene or the area. Throughout the year, staff has looked into federal funding opportunities and unmet funding needs to develop a list of potential projects for inclusion on the FY 2011 Federal Priorities Project List. On November 12, 2009, 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 inclusion on the 2010 Federal Priorities Project List. From that meeting, a list of possible federal funding opportunities was developed. The proposed 2010 Federal Priority Projects were presented to the IGR Committee on December 16, 2009. The IGR Committee unanimously approved, with one possible addition (see note below), the recommended 2010 Federal Priorities Project List (Attachment A) and directed the list move forward to the full City Council for action. The final list will become part of the UF federal agenda which will be presented to the area’s congressional delegation, executive department staff, and other potential funding sources in Washington, D.C. in March 2010. Note: As part of the 2009 United Front Federal Priorities list, the City of Eugene included a request for an air monitoring station as part of Lane County’s BioEnergy Production Facility request. The original request for the air quality monitoring station was to ensure the efficacy of the facility’s basic requirement to reduce or eliminate the air quality impacts from grass seed burning in the central and southern Willamette Valley. However, in 2009, the Oregon State Legislature passed Senate Bill 528 which ended most field burning in Oregon. Additionally, the Lane Region Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) recently determined it would site an air quality monitoring station in west Eugene and has identified funding to install the station, although it is still trying to identify funding for ongoing operation of the station. Accordingly, because field burning has been eliminated in the southern Willamette Valley and an air monitoring station is being installed in west Eugene by LRAPA, the 2009 request for the air monitoring station is not recommended for inclusion on the 2010 Federal Priorities Project List. RELATED CITY POLICIES Adoption of the federal priority recommendations is the making or affirming of the City of Eugene’s policy with respect to federal legislative issues or such other matters as may come to the council from the IGR committee. Z:\CMO\2010 Council Agendas\M100113\S100113A.doc