LGA Lyceum

Municipal Leaders Learn about Accelerating the Policy & Practice of Sustainable Development

Submitted by
Michael A. Spotts
Sustainable Pittsburgh
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
www.sustainablepittsburgh.org

On June 4, 2009, the Sustainable Development Academy (an ongoing training initiative of Sustainable Pittsburgh and the Local Government Academy) presented Sustainable Community Development Essentials: Tools, Strategies, and Case Studies. This hands-on program engaged 32 representatives from 22 local governments and organizations from around the region. Faculty representing diverse community interests led the session, including Susan Hockenberry of the Local Government Academy, Matt Mehalik of Sustainable Pittsburgh, John Trant of Cranberry Township, and Joy Wilhelm of the DCED Governor’s Center for Local Government Services.

The seminar introduced participants to the concept of sustainability with the goal of helping them lead by example through governance, policymaking, municipal operations, and education. The seminar began by identifying sustainability as a process for continuous improvement that takes into consideration social equity, natural capital, and a resilient and restorative economy. The conversation then transitioned to implementation as the audience learned about the steps Cranberry Township has taken to adopt sustainability as the framework for municipal operations, planning, and programming. Finally, attendees learned about the attributes of a municipal government supportive of sustainability. Namely, a sustainable government features principles, policies, and practices that:

• Enhance organizational capacity
• Utilize best management practices
• Exhibit professionalism
• Encourage intergovernmental cooperation
• Foster civic engagement
• Attract investment
• Provide strong stewardship for the community
• Establish sustainable development as a culture of practice and policy

The session emphasized the point that a municipal government’s financial situation is fully linked to its sustainability. Fiscal health is necessary for a municipality to be responsive to the needs of its constituents, from service provision to proper maintenance of infrastructure. This fiduciary responsibility includes budgeting and planning, completing the audit process, and performance monitoring/evaluation.

Furthermore, the municipal budgeting system can serve as a leverage point for implementing sustainability initiatives. Through budget planning and reconciliation, the net costs and benefits from activities (for instance, newly adopted energy saving techniques) can be quantified, and hopefully serve as a catalyst for broader acceptance and implementation.

The session identified critical factors in the development of sustainable communities through fourteen Sustainable Community Essentials resource sheets. Attendees applied the lessons from the seminar and these Essentials in a case study of Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, OH. Looking at statistical and municipal information about the community, they conducted a Rapid Assessment of Shaker Heights’ strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

The Sustainable Community Essentials resource sheets and Rapid Assessment used in this seminar are available to the public at: www.sustainablecommunityessentials.org. For more information about the Sustainable Development Academy and other Local Government Academy events, please visit: http://www.localgovernmentacademy.org/ or subscribe to Sustainable Pittsburgh's weekly e-news, 3E Links by emailing info@sustainablepittsburgh.org.

Michael A. Spotts, Intern
Sustainable Pittsburgh
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Office Phone: (412) 258-6649
Fax: (412) 258-6645
E-mail: mspotts@sustainablepittsburgh.org
www.sustainablepittsburgh.org

Federal Stimulus Funds Available for Municipal Broadband Projects

Submitted by

Daniel S. Cohen
Cohen Law Group
www.cohenlawgroup.org

 

Much has been published on the recent federal stimulus legislation, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including funding opportunities for municipal projects.  These opportunities are typically discussed with respect to transportation, education, energy and housing projects.  Very little has been reported, however, on the substantial stimulus funding that is available for municipal broadband projects, especially in the area of public safety.    

 

The stimulus package allocated allocates a total of $7.2 billion for broadband-related projects through two programs: 1) $4.7 billion for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (“BTOP”) in the Department of Commerce; and 2) $2.5 billion for the Distance Learning, Telemedicine and Broadband Program (DLTB”) in the Department of Agriculture.  The specific agencies charged with disbursing the funds are the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (“NTIA”) for the BTOP program and the Rural Utilities Service for the DLTB program.  The federal share of any projects funded by these programs may not exceed 80% (in other words, there is a 20% local match).

 

            The grant recipients for these programs expressly include local governments. The Act requires that the agencies disperse all monetary awards by September 30, 2010 and that the projects supported by these awards be substantially completed within two years of receiving a grant.  Local governments may never again see such a tremendous opportunity to receive federal assistance for broadband technology projects.  It is important, therefore, that local officials learn about these programs so as not to miss out on any timely opportunities.  Given the higher funding allotment for the BTOP program and the space constraints of this article, we will focus on the BTOP program here.

 

            The purposes of BTOP are as follow: 1) providing access to broadband service in unserved areas; 2) improving access to broadband services in underserved areas; 3) providing broadband education, awareness, training, access, equipment, and support; 4) improving access to, and use of, broadband service by public safety agencies; and 5) stimulating the demand for broadband, economic growth, and job creation. (emphasis added)  Based on our firm’s experience in representing municipalities in cable and telecommunications matters, improving public safety communications is a universal need among local governments.  The opportunity now exists to receive federal grants to fund these needs. 

 

            Grants awarded under the BTOP may be used for many purposes, including acquiring equipment for broadband services; constructing and deploying broadband service related infrastructure; and constructing and deploying broadband facilities that improve public safety broadband communications services.  While the NTIA has not yet specified the types of eligible public safety projects, it appears that such projects may include mobile data units for public safety vehicles, digital surveillance camera systems, and public safety interoperability enhancement.  Our discussions with the NTIA have revealed that the agency will be receptive to projects that include partnerships with other community anchors, including other levels of government, school districts, or hospitals.

 

To be eligible for a financial award under the BTOP, an applicant must submit an application during one of the three rounds of grant periods.  As of today, the first round is expected to be August-September, 2009.  The second round is currently scheduled for November- December, 2009, and the third round is scheduled for April-May 2010.  It is expected that one-third of the available funding will be awarded during each round.

 

            The application must meet the criteria outlined by the NTIA which requires, among other things, that the applicant provide a detailed explanation of how any award received will be used to carry out the purposes of the Act in an efficient and expeditious manner, including a showing that the project would not have been implemented during the grant period without federal grant assistance.  The applicant must show that it has the ability to meet the 20% match requirement and disclose any other federal or state funding that the applicant receives to which the application relates.

 

            The full text and of the BTOP is found in Section 6001 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The NTIA’s website, www.ntia.doc.gov/broadbandgrants, and the RUS’s website, www.usda.gov/rus/telecomalso provides important information.  Finally, many local governments are employing consultants to guide them through the application process, due to complexity of these grant programs, the fact that they are brand new, and the short timeframe for application submission.  If you have any questions regarding these broadband stimulus grants, please feel free to contact Dan Cohen (412-447-0130 x11 or dcohen@cohenlawgroup.org) or Phil Fraga (412-447-0130 x12 or pfraga@cohenlawgroup.org).

 

Daniel S. Cohen

Cohen Law Group

1000 Gamma Drive, Suite 305

Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Phone: 412.447.0130 ext. 11
Fax: 412.447.0129

dcohen@cohenlawgroup.org

www.cohenlawgroup.org