January 23, 2012
NATION’S CITIES WEEKLY 3
New EPA Resources to Help Local Governments Achieve
Energy Goals
by Carolyn Berndt
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) recently launched two
tools to help local governments make
policy decisions pertaining to greenhouse
gas reduction, particularly through ener-
gy efficiency and renewable energy pro-
grams.
Clean Energy Financing
Decision Tool and Guide
States and communities are increasingly investing in energy efficiency and
renewable energy to achieve their air
quality, economic, and energy goals.
By adopting clean energy financing
programs, local governments can make
energy efficiency and renewable energy
more affordable for homeowners, building owners and businesses. To support
local government efforts, EPA’s State
and Local Climate and Clean Energy
Program launched two new resources.
The Financing Program Decision
Tool is designed for state and local
staff to identify clean energy financing
programs suited to their jurisdiction’s
specific needs.
The Financing Program Decision
Guide includes the basics on financing-
program options, as well as key consider-
ations and factors for local governments
to weigh as they start up or expand their
clean energy financing programs.
Greenhouse Gas Data
Publication Tool
For the first time, comprehensive
greenhouse gas (GHG) data reported
directly from large facilities and suppli-
ers across the country are now acces-
sible through EPA’s GHG Reporting
Program. The 2010 GHG data includes
public information from facilities in
nine industry groups that directly emit
large quantities of GHGs, such as power
plants, landfills, government and com-
mercial facilities and others, as well as
suppliers of certain fossil fuels. An addi-
tional 12 industry groups will begin
reporting their 2011 GHG data this year.
UPCOMING WEBINARS
Register for Broadband Access: An Economic Development
by Julia Pulidindi NTIA on January 25 at 2:00 p.m.
Eastern Time for a webinar, entitled The
National Broadband Map: An Economic
Development Tool for Cities, which will
show how cities can use this tool and
provide feedback so it can be further
enhanced to suit their needs.
NLC is excited to promote the
National Broadband Map to its mem-
Tool for Cities Webinar
In 2011, the National
Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) launched the
National Broadband Map (NBM),
a tool local governments can use to
determine the level broadband access
in their communities. Join NLC and
bers because of the impact it can have
on increasing broadband access to their
communities.
Details: For more information and
to register for the webinar, please visit
NLC’s Infrastructure page or contact
Julia Pulidindi at pulidindi@nlc.org or
(202) 626-3176.
January 31 Webinar to Highlight Dropout Recovery Role
of Local Reengagement Centers
by Michael Karpman
On Tuesday, January 31,
at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time,
NLC’s Institute for Youth,
Education and Families (YEF
Institute) will host a free, hour-
long webinar on Reengagement
Centers: Key Element in a City
Strategy to Recover Dropouts.
Municipal leaders, senior city
staff and community partners
are invited to register for this
webinar at www.nlc.org/iyef.
• Ken Karamichael,
Rutgers University/Newark,
N.J., YE2S Center; and
• Greg Emmel and
Carolyn Miller, Directions
Diploma (D2) Center, Omaha,
Neb.
City officials are invited to
participate in an interactive discussion with these local leaders,
who have each contributed to
the establishment of reengagement centers in their cities.
The call is part of the YEF
Institute’s monthly webinar
series, which in 2012 will focus
on creative partnerships to
improve outcomes for children
and families — a key focus
of the YEF Council under the
leadership of its 2012 co-chairs,
Nashville Mayor Karl Dean
and Councilmember-at-Large
Ronnie Steine.
3,500 students since 2008
through a collaboration among
the City of Newark, Newark
Public Schools, Rutgers
University, the Nicholson
Foundation and others. In
Philadelphia, two city departments and the school district
operate the local reengagement
center.
Details: To register, visit
www.nlc.org/iyef. If you have
any questions about registering,
YEF Institute staff are standing by to help. Please contact
Michael Karpman at (202) 626-
3072 or karpman@nlc.org or
Tim Mudd at (202) 626-3074
or mudd@nlc.org and they will
walk you through the registration process step by step.
