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2011 Federal Legislative PrioritiesMasterpiece on the Mississippi TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: 2011 Federal Legislative Priorities DATE: February 17, 2011 MCVM:jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager Michael C. Van Milligen Dubuque biltd All-America City / 2007 Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann is recommending adoption of the 2011 Federal Legislative Priorities. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. 2011 Federal Legislative Priorities 1. TRANSPORTATION Southwest Arterial Project The Dubuque City Council, the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors, the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (DMATS), the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation have all identified the completion of the Southwest Arterial project as the No. 1 surface transportation priority in the Dubuque area. The proposed Southwest Arterial project will be a 6.1 -mile four -lane divided freeway with priority 1- access control between Highway 61/151 and Highway 20. Based on future traffic demand projections, as outlined in the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (DMATS) Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), Central Avenue (Hwy 52/3), South Grandview Avenue and Kelly Lane are forecasted to be over capacity by 2012. The Southwest Arterial will provide an alternate, direct and efficient route for traffic through southwestern Dubuque, thereby reducing traffic congestion on the local street system, including Central Avenue (Hwy 52/3) through the downtown and Kelly Lane that is through a residential neighborhood. The Southwest Arterial project will also relieve congestion and improve safety on Highway 61/151 and Highway 20 through Dubuque. Traffic Congestion on Local Street Network 1 Economic Development The Southwest Arterial project will provide a significant national and regional economic benefit in providing a direct connection between the new Dubuque Technology Park on Highway 61/151 with the new Dubuque Industrial Center West, and the existing Dubuque Industrial Center near Highway 20. The highway then extends north to John Deere Dubuque Works via the Iowa Highway 32 (Northwest Arterial). Dubuque Industrial Ke y • Southwest Arterial Highways/Streets/Roads • Dubuque City Limits Southwest Arterial Roadway Alignment 2 ue Technolo Since October 2001, 16 companies have made expansion decisions at the Dubuque Industrial Center West, based upon assurances that the proposed Southwest Arterial was in the engineering design phase and that the project would be in the Iowa Department of Transportation five -year plan. The largest of the companies, McGraw - Hill Publishing Company, made a decision to locate a new 330,000- square -foot distribution center in the Dubuque Industrial Center West. The completion of Southwest Arterial is vital to other expansion announcements: Alliant Energy, Adams Company, Art's Way Manufacturing, American Tank & Fabrication, Giese Manufacturing, Tri -State Industries, Kendall /Hunt Publishing, Oral Arts Laboratories, Dubuque Screw Products, Theisen's Supply, Medline Industries, Vanguard Countertops, Hormel Food Corp, and ITC Holding Corp. Other nationally recognized local companies asking for a connection between Highway 20 and Highway 61/151 include John Deere Dubuque Works, Nordstrom Distribution Center, A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing, Swiss Valley Farms, Flexsteel Industries, and Dubuque Stamping and Manufacturing. Dubuque is the regional economic center for the Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin tri -state area. With local international companies such as the John Deere Dubuque Works, Nordstrom Distribution Center, McGraw -Hill Publishing Company, A.Y. McDonald Manufacturing, Flexsteel Industries, Kendall /Hunt Publishing, and the Hormel Food Corporation, it is critical to construct the Southwest Arterial as an alternate, direct route for commercial traffic through southwestern Dubuque. The Southwest Arterial project will significantly improve the efficiency and safety of the regional highway transportation network that is vital for the statewide, national and global distribution of local commerce and the continued growth and sustainability of the strong regional economy. Mobility Benefits The Southwest Arterial project will connect two growing sections of the community together and will support future anticipated expansion growth to the southwest of the City toward the Dubuque Regional Airport. The Southwest Arterial will also provide an efficient bypass around the City thereby reducing travel times and minimizing delay by reducing traffic volumes and congestion on the local street system, including Central Avenue (Hwy 52/3), Rockdale Road, Kelly Lane, Fremont, Cedar Cross Road, Starlight and Crescent Ridge. Traffic wishing to travel beyond Dubuque will be able to take the Southwest Arterial bypass around the City which will provide significant travel time savings by avoiding the numerous signalized intersections on Highway 61/151, Highway 20 and Central Avenue (Hwy 52/3) through Dubuque. Environmental Benefits The Southwest Arterial project will provide an alternate, direct and efficient route for traffic through southwestern Dubuque, which will provide significant travel time savings by avoiding the numerous signalized intersections on Highway 61/151, Highway 20 and Central Avenue (Hwy 52/3) through Dubuque, thereby providing fuel energy savings, reducing vehicle emissions and improving air quality. The Southwest Arterial project will be designed and constructed with forward thinking sustainability initiative incorporated, which will include an environmentally and resource sensitive highway corridor, an integrated bike /pedestrian trail with amenities, and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology. Project Development - Current Status The preliminary engineering design phase is completed and the Southwest Arterial project is now proceeding with the final engineering design phase, right -of -way property acquisition and archaeological and cultural resource phase 111 mitigation work. 3 Expenditure Obligation The City is committed to advancing the development of the Southwest Arterial and expending current available funding. The following is a summary of both federal and local funding that has been requisitioned and obligated for expenditure to complete final engineering design, right -of -way property acquisition, archaeological and cultural resource phase III mitigation work and construction. Expenditure Summary FY 2009 - 2010 21,923,942 FY 2011 6,057,500 I Total Expenditure Obligation 27,981,442 Final Engineering Design In March, 2009, the City approved the selection of AECOM to complete the final engineering design phase. On August 27th, 2009, the City received official Iowa DOT notification that the FHWA has given approval for AECOM to proceed with the final design phase. The technical design team is currently working on final engineering design elements, including: interchange layout and configuration, bridge and structures design, geotechnical subsurface investigation, sustainable highway design concepts, architectural and landscape enhancement concepts, wetland delineations and mitigation. As part of the final design phase of the Southwest Arterial, the Iowa DOT and the FHWA required that a formal Value Engineering (VE) Study be conducted. The primary objective of the Study was to identify potential modifications that might decrease the construction cost or to increase the value of the project. In November, 2009, the Value Engineering Study was completed and a final report was issued. The most significant value engineering (VE) alternative under strong consideration is the proposed modifications to the Southwest Arterial / U.S. 20 / Seippel Road interchange area. These changes could include; use of roundabouts, changes to the ramp layouts, changes to the access road layouts, eliminate the need for a cross -over bridge, and possibly eliminate the need to purchase three (3) properties along Cousins Road. The potential VE savings to incorporate these savings are in the magnitude of $5.9 million. The full extent of the potential VE savings will be evaluated and further refined as the project team proceeds into the final design phases, evaluates environmental impacts, property acquisition impacts and the City conducts public informational meetings on the proposed Southwest Arterial / U.S. 20 / Seippel Road interchange configurations under consideration. 4 Property Acquisition In February, 2009, the City signed a joint partnership agreement between the City and the Iowa DOT to perform right -of -way property acquisition services for the Southwest Arterial Project. On September 10, 2009, the City received official Iowa DOT notification that the FHWA has given approval and authorization to proceed with right -of -way acquisition. The City and the Iowa DOT property acquisition staff are currently proceeding with right - of -way property acquisition for the 44 impacted properties. As of December 2010, the City has purchased 16 properties for a total purchase expenditure in the amount of $3.1 million to -date. There are currently 28 properties that are temporarily on -hold while the design team further evaluated the proposed value engineering (VE) modifications to the SW Arterial / U.S. 20 / Seippel Road interchange area and performs additional geotechnical investigation near Military Road and the Highway 151/61 interchange to verify property impact limits. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the City and County have committed all of the local transportation funding, $2.9 million, for the purchase of property for the Southwest Arterial. As of September 2010, the City has spent and received 2,898,967.70 in ARRA funding. By the end of the year, the City will be submitting a reimbursement request to the Iowa DOT for the remaining balance of $10,566.30 which will expend all ARRA stimulus funding. Archaeological and Cultural Resource Mitigation In the summer of 2010, work began on the archaeological and cultural resource mitigation phase of the project. The City anticipates that 75% of the mitigation sites will be completed by December 2010. The remaining mitigation sites will be completed as those respective properties are acquired and prior to the start of construction. Construction To maximize available funding, the City is moving forward with "fast track" phased project components to construct Southwest Arterial improvements that will provide immediate public benefits and create significant construction efficiencies for the future grading and paving of the four -lane freeway between Highway 151/61 to Highway 20. The first phase of construction began in September, 2010 with the reconstruction of North Cascade Road. The project will provide for the reconstruction (grading & paving) and realignment of North Cascade Road which will allow the Southwest Arterial to travel under the new North Cascade Road Bridge. The second construction phase, the English Mill Road reconstruction project, is scheduled to begin the early spring / summer of 2011 and will involve side road improvements that will allow the highway to travel under the new English Mill Road Bridge. 5 Project Cost Due to project funding constraints, the Project Technical Committee has been preparing cost scenarios and evaluating construction alternatives for completing components of the project with currently available federal, state and local funding. Total Funding Projection Summary Status Amount Total Federal Funds Committed $ 32,415,734 Total State Funds Committed $ 17, 760, 000 Total Local Funds Committed $ 15,808,967 I Total Federal / State / Local Funding: $ 65,984,701 An alternate interim phase under consideration would include the acquisition of all right - of -way required for the complete four -lane project, complete the archaeological and cultural resource mitigation phases, complete final engineering design which would provide for the grading of four -lanes between Highway 151/61 to Highway 20, pave two - lane highway between Highway 151/61 to Highway 20, partial interchanges at Highway 151/61 and at Highway 20, and a temporary at -grade intersection at North Cascade Road. The preliminary cost projection for the interim two -lane highway is $98,300,000. Interim Build, Grade 4 -Lane, Pave 2 -Lane, Highway 20 to 61/151 $ 98, 300, 000 Total Federal / State / Local Funding: $ 65,984,701 I Interim Project, 2 -Lane Highway - Funding Gap: - $ 32,315,299 I At current funding levels, there is a $32.3 million funding shortfall for the Southwest Arterial to complete the interim two -lane highway between Highway 20 and Highway 61/151. The interim two -lane highway would function until future additional funding is available to complete the remaining two -lanes and construct full interchanges which would fully complete the four -lane divided freeway and should provide a reasonable level of traffic service through the year 2015. The preliminary cost projection for the complete four - lane freeway project is $125,000,000. Complete Project, 4 - Lane Freeway, Highway 20 to 61/151 $ 125,000,000 Total Federal / State / Local Funding: $ 65, 984, 701 I Complete Project, 4 -Lane Freeway - Funding Gap: - $ 59,015,299 I 6 At current funding levels, there is a $59 million funding shortfall for the Southwest Arterial to complete the full build four -lane freeway project between Hwy 20 and Hwy 61/151. This project continues to be a top priority; therefore, other strategies are being evaluated to insure that this project moves forward. Federal Funding As a result of hard work from Dubuque's congressional delegation, the Federal Transportation Bill (SAFETEA -LU) presented a new opportunity for funding. Congressman Nussle included into the House version of the bill $20 million. In Conference Committee, the appropriation amount was reduced to $15 million and then U.S. Senator Grassley was able to get the amount increased to $26.18 million. The approved SAFETEA -LU Bill includes funding for the Southwest Arterial in the amount of $26.18 million. The City extends its sincere appreciation to Congressman Nussle, and U.S. Senators Grassley and Harkin for targeting this project with federal appropriation authorization, which will play a critical role in moving forward with this project. The Technical Corrections Bill was passed which authorized $5.5 million in unused SAFETEA -LU grant funding for the U.S. 20 Bridge to be transferred of the Southwest Arterial project. Through the support and partnership of U.S. Senator Harkin, U.S. Senator Grassley and Congressman Braley, the City was awarded a $950,000 appropriation as part of the Omnibus Bill. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the City and County have committed all of the local transportation funding, $2.9 million, for the completion of the Southwest Arterial. On April 6, 2009, the City of Dubuque officially informed the Iowa DOT of the City's intention to appropriate all of the local transportation funding distribution as part of the ARRA funding for the acquisition of right -of -way property for the Southwest Arterial project. The following table summarizes the appropriated federal funding to -date for the Iowa Highway 32 (Southwest Arterial) project. Federal Funding Status Amount SAFETEA - LU ($26,180,000 Appropriation) Committed $ 23,582,825 Technical Corrections Bill - US20 Mississippi Bridge SAFETEA -LU $5,500,000 transferred to SW Arterial Committed $ 4,973,375 FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act Committed $ 950,000 American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Committed $ 2,909,534 I Total Federal Funding: $ 32,415,734 I * After SAFETEA -LU obligation limitations applied 7 The City of Dubuque and Dubuque County in partnership with U.S. Senator Harkin, U.S. Senator Grassley and Congressman Braley have submitted an FY2010 Transportation Appropriation Request in the amount of $2 million which will be used to complete the final engineering design phase, complete the property acquisition process, and to complete the archaeological and cultural resource phase 111 mitigation work. Future requested funds will be used for construction of the project. State of Iowa Funding At the June 9, 2009 Iowa Department of Transportation Commission Meeting, the Commission approved the upcoming Iowa 5 -Year Highway Transportation Improvement Program which included $17.76 Million in funding programmed for the Southwest Arterial Interchange at US Highway 20 and Seippel Road. State Funding Status Amount 5 -Year Highway Transportation Improvement Program Committed $ 17,760,000 I Total State Funding: $ 17,760,000I Local Funding The Iowa DOT Commission has challenged both the City and County to provide a local financial commitment and seek local funding for this project and pursue all viable options to fund the shortfall. The City and County have met the challenge and have identified $15.8 million in local funds that could be used as matching cost for current and future federal funding appropriations. The Southwest Arterial project continues to be a top priority; therefore, other funding strategies are being evaluated to ensure that this project moves forward. The Southwest Arterial project has been part of the State TIP for the past ten years and continues to be because the local Metropolitan Planning Organization, DMATS, has committed $5.4 million in Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds and dedicated local Enhancement funds of approximately $550,000 through 2013 for the project. The City has allocated the use of DMATS STP funding on eligible City street construction and traffic capacity / safety related improvement projects that will allow local funds to be transferred to the Southwest Arterial Project and used as matching cost for the federal funds. Staff has identified approximately $4.6 million in local project funds that could be shifted using DMATS STP funds that would allow the leveraging of approximately $18.4 million in federal dollars. With the passage of a funding mechanism for TIME -21, the City and the County have agreed to dedicate their revenues as local matching dollars to leverage the expenditure of Federal funds. Based on preliminary projections, the City and County could receive approximately $4.9 million over the next six years, which would allow the leveraging of approximately $19.6 million in federal dollars. 8 DMATS STP Funds Committed $ 5,400,000 DMATS Enhancement Funds Committed $ 550,000 On May 14, 2009, Governor Chet Culver signed the $715 million Iowa Jobs (I -JOBS) Program into law. Based on the funding distribution, the City will receive an appropriation in the amount of $558,967. On May 18, 2009, the City Council approved the commitment of all I -JOBS funding to the Southwest Arterial project. The following table summarizes the local funding appropriated to -date for the Southwest Arterial project. Local Funding Status Amount City - Capital Improvement Funding (2009 - 2014) Committed $ 4,600,000 TIME -21 Funding (City / County Allocation) Committed $ 4,700,000 I -JOBS Funding (City Allocation) Committed $ 558,967 I Total Local Funding: $ 15,808,967 I Future Funding Initiatives The City requests any additional financial assistance that can be provided on the federal level, as well as supporting of transferring the remaining unused Federal appropriated SAFETEA -LU funds ($20 million) from the U.S. Highway 20 /Julien Dubuque Bridge project to the Southwest Arterial. Intermodal Facility The City of Dubuque seeks funding in order to construct a Downtown Transportation Center Intermodal Facility at the Port of Dubuque. The project cost estimate is in the range of $20 -25 million. Similar projects in Iowa have been funded for the Near Southside Transportation Center Intermodal Facility in Iowa City, Iowa and for the UNI Multi -modal project in Waterloo. The downtown, Port of Dubuque and Historic Millwork areas have supported tremendous commercial growth over the last decade including grand tourist attractions and festivals in the revitalized Port area: new local, regional, and national businesses in downtown; and the restoration and revitalization of previously dormant historic buildings. The net result is the generation of an active multifaceted district for working, living and playing. The area has evolved from the traditional nine -to -five central business district into a vibrant and lively activity center. This rapid evolution has created public concerns about transportation and parking capacity. Construction of an Intermodal facility would be a strategic use of the limited acreage available that would incorporate smart growth principles to limit the number of parking surfaces and preserve as much land as possible for strategic urban development consistent with the rest of the downtown area. 9 The project will include a parking and transit component and would integrate a concrete parking structure containing approximately 750 parking stalls with the bus terminal housed integrally within the structure at ground level. The proposed facility will be located adjacent to a rail spur in either the Port of Dubuque or the Historic Millwork District and will serve as a connecting tourist commuter train line along the Mississippi River. The City is working with the Iowa DOT, the Illinois DOT, and Amtrak to secure daily passenger service from Chicago to Dubuque. A current study is analyzing these two sites to determine which would best serve the community's needs. This decision should be finalized in the Spring of 2011. The parking facility will accommodate park - and -ride and general parking users through hourly, daily and monthly revenues. The bus operation provides pick -up and drop -off of public and private bus service including a recently deployed trolley shuttle service between the downtown and the Port of Dubuque, The Jule (formally Keyline) fixed route service, RTA, interstate charters and local taxi cab and tour operators. Both the Port of Dubuque Master Plan and the Historic Millwork District Master Plan include construction of a transit station and the project is part of the metropolitan area Tong -range transportation plan. Some environmental assessments have been completed and others are a part of the current study. The City is preparing an RFP to hire a consultant for preliminary design of the facility as soon as a final determination is made on the site in the Spring of 2011. This work will be funded by state and federal funds that have been set aside for this purpose. This project is eligible for 80% (in the range of $16 -20 million) federal funding and the City of Dubuque is seeking support of the Congressional delegation in securing those funds. Amtrak Funding Vision To return commuter rail service between the City of Dubuque and the Chicago area. History In 2005, under the leadership of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, and the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce discussion began on how to engage tri -state area citizens in a community visioning process. A Selection Committee was formed to coordinate this community -wide effort in developing a variety of ideas for the future of greater Dubuque and facilitate Envision 2010: Ten Community Projects by 2010. Although Dubuque is relatively homogeneous, every effort was made to achieve diversity on the Selection Committee by age, gender, race, ability, and disability. After the Selection Committee chose 100 ideas, the community came together again to participate in a town meeting where citizens voted for their preferred choices and narrowed the list to 30 ideas. The Selection Committee then narrowed the list to 10 high- impact ideas for greater Dubuque. Having commuter rail service between Dubuque and Chicago is one of the top ten final ideas from the Envision 2010. Because it is one of the top ten Envision ideas, a Passenger Rail committee has been 10 created to ensure this vision becomes a reality. In 2006, the Envision 2010 Passenger Rail committee in Dubuque, IA, joined the Blackhawk Area Rail Coalition (BARC) in their endeavor to re- establish passenger rail service from Chicago, Illinois to the city of Dubuque. BARC is an Illinois coalition focused on getting rail service between Chicago, Galena and East Dubuque and is working as a citizen's committee under the leadership of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association. With the Association's guidance and directive, BARC has captured the attention of the Illinois legislature and Amtrak in a positive manner. Current Status Commuter rail service ended in the Dubuque area in 1981. The Envision 2010 Rail Committee views returning passenger rail to Dubuque from Chicago as an alternate form of transportation and a major influence on the continued economic and tourism growth of the Dubuque and surrounding area. With the assistance from the State of Illinois, a feasibility study conducted by Amtrak was recently updated with the study focusing on the city of Dubuque as the final destination from Chicago. Amtrak has expressed interest in Dubuque as a final destination point because of the riverfront developments in the City. Dubuque would provide Amtrak a port of entry to Eastern and central Iowa. The Feasibility study outlines capital cost and infrastructure costs that include track, station, platform and equipment for Amtrak service to Dubuque. The study also provides ridership estimation, revenues and operating costs for the service. The City of Dubuque, along with several other Iowa Communities, and the Iowa Department of Transportation have established a working group to promote State (IDOT) funding for Passenger rail service. The City has recently hired a consultant to evaluate potential rail station sites in the Port of Dubuque and to prepare cost estimates for the needed improvements. In addition, the Governor of Illinois has targeted $60 million to improve the tracks from Chicago to Dubuque. In December 2010, Illinois also announced the specific route for the track improvements from Chicago to Dubuque. Challenges The City and Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study (DMATS) continue to support the return of Amtrak to Dubuque from Chicago. However, funding challenges exist for providing a station and platform for the train. Amtrak requires that the local community commit to funding those costs. The consultant estimated the initial capital costs at $900,000. The return of Amtrak to Dubuque could partner well with another of the City of Dubuque's priorities, the planned intermodal facility. Amtrak looks favorably on intermodal facilities for train stations; however, as stated earlier, it is up to the local community to commit to those costs. 11 We request the delegation's support in assisting with the return of Amtrak rail service to Dubuque from Chicago by providing funding to assist with the infrastructure improvements such as the train station. Canadian Pacific Railway Company — Control — DM &E Railroad On September 30, 2008, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) approved the acquisition of the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad (DM &E) by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP). The requirement of conducting environmental impact studies and providing any necessary mitigation prior to building in to the Wyoming Powder River Basin (PRB) was passed from the DM &E to the CP. Overpasses Required for City as a Result of Increased Rail Traffic The City is concerned that if the CP decides to build into the PRB rail traffic will increase exponentially. The existing at -grade railroad crossings will be blocked more often and for longer periods of time, thus reducing public safety by eliminating uninterrupted emergency response routes. The City's east - west vehicular traffic corridors will be essentially crippled. As a result, the City requests that the impacts be mitigated by mandating that the CP be required to construct elevated structure overpasses at 16 Street, to provide access to the Kerper Industrial Park, and at Charter Street, to provide access to the Port of Dubuque developed area. Based on the findings of the mandated Environmental Impact Study, other elevated structure overpasses may also be required within the City. Capacity Improvements - U.S. Highway 20 The U.S. Hwy 20 /Julien Dubuque Bridge spans the Mississippi River and provides one eastbound and one westbound lane of traffic. On either side of the river, the highway immediately expands to four or more lanes. The result is a bottleneck in traffic on both sides of the bridge. This link is part of an east -west connection between Dubuque and other communities. To the east: Galena, III.; Rockford, III.; and Chicago. To the west: Waterloo, Iowa and the 1 -35 interchange. The U.S. Hwy 20 Project has been a very high priority with the City Council and the Metropolitan Planning Organization, DMATS. The City of Dubuque truly appreciates the $35 million federal commitment obtained by Congressman Nussle in 1998, which has allowed the Mississippi River Bridge component of this project to complete Environmental Assessment, Location Alignment, Preliminary & Final Design and R.O.W Acquisition. Right -of -way acquisition is complete on the Iowa side ($6.5 Million). Right -of -way acquisition is ongoing on the Illinois side ($5 Million Est.). The Iowa Department of Transportation selected the firm of Parsons of Chicago, Illinois, in conjunction with WHKS of Dubuque, to complete the preliminary and final design of the bridge crossing, roadway approaches, and landscape improvements. Realizing that the State of Illinois has no commitment with the next ten years to the Mississippi River Bridge expansion part of this project, the Technical Corrections Bill 12 was passed which authorized $5.5 million in unused SAFETEA -LU grant funding for the U.S. Hwy 20 /Julien Dubuque Bridge to be transferred of the Iowa Highway 32 (Southwest Arterial) project. The City extends its sincere appreciation for all the hard work and support in getting the Technical Corrections Bill approved. The Iowa Department of Transportation has informed the City that they anticipate there will be a $20 million surplus in the SAFETEA -LU grant funding for the U.S. Hwy 20 /Julien Dubuque Bridge and as a result the City requests the support of our federal partners in the transfer of unused SAFETEA -LU funding to the Southwest Arterial project. The City supports the 4- laning of Highway 20 to Chicago. Dubuque Regional Airport Our primary objective is to get a multiyear AIP funding Bill in place. The House and Senate both need to take action to develop a bill that focuses on airports, air traffic control services, and modernization in order for airports and the FAA to properly implement their capital projects. The Airport Commission and Dubuque City Council adopted a new Master Plan in 2005 which identified $74,644,846 in near and long term improvement needs. Our immediate attention is focused on a new terminal facility. We estimate that $39,882,532 will be required to design the facility, construct the building and the ancillary taxiways, roadway access, and vehicle parking lots. We plan to utilize all available funds to finance this project. The single largest source of project funding is AIP entitlement and discretionary grants from the Federal Aviation Administration. If construction of this critical project is delayed in 2011, the total project cost will increase by approximately $940,000. With the expiration of VISION 100 at the end of fiscal year 2007, aviation programs which set spending levels for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), Essential Air Service, Small Community Development Grants, Facilities and Equipment, and other programs that develop and maintain facilities at airports around the country are attempting to function on continuing resolutions. Also expired is the funding mechanism for the Airway and Airport Trust Fund, so reauthorization discussions must include debate over funding mechanisms for the trust fund. Vision 100, had provided the needed federal aviation funding for the years 2004 -2007 and had worked well for the Dubuque Regional Airport. We would like to see the following components and modifications of that program remain in place: The AIP program has played a significant role in maintaining and enhancing the safety and growth of the air transportation system through funding a wide range of airside projects at airports. The Dubuque Regional Airport supports full funding of the AIP program at $3.8 billion, increasing each year by $100 million. 13 Other key issues under discussion will include the length of reauthorization, local match requirements, the level of general fund contributions to cover FAA operations, and the long- needed modernization of the national airspace system. At a minimum, federal reauthorization of aviation programs should include: 1. A five year reauthorization period. 2. Full funding of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) starting at $3.8B annually with $100M increases every year throughout the reauthorization period. 3. Maintaining primary entitlements within the AIP program at 95 %. 4. Maintaining the current fuel and ticket tax structure. 5. Full funding of the Small Community Air Service Grant program. 6. Fund the Contract Tower Program. 7. Authorize AIP funds to be used to develop revenue generating facilities at non - hub airports. 8. Increase the Passenger Facility collection level to $7.50 and index it to inflation. Contract Tower Funding: Following the 1981 PATCO strike, the Reagan Administration implemented a gradual privatization of Air Traffic Control Towers. This has been rather successful. The Dubuque tower is operated by a private firm on contract with the Federal Aviation Administration. Continued funding is always in question. Dubuque has the 3rd busiest airport in Iowa. Safety and common sense dictates continued funding of the contract tower program or restoration of FAA staffing. If the community had to fund the tower, the costs are estimated in excess of $650,000 annually. Passenger Facility Charges: The current collection amount of $4.50 per enplaned passenger is not indexed to inflation and restricts the amount of money collected for large capital projects. Increasing the PFC to $7.50 and indexing it to inflation would ensure long term funding viability for even the smallest of commercial service airports. Allowing these funds to be used for revenue generating items like parking lots, airline offices, etc. would significantly reduce the impact on smaller airports and their sponsors. Air Service Development Program: The Department of Transportation manages the Small Community Air Service Development Program Grant. This grant helps small and non -hub airports with monetary support of airline recruitment endeavors. The Department of Transportation's grant application has very restrictive guidelines, which limit airport participation to one- time projects. If those methods work to attract one carrier, you may not seek a grant to offer the same incentives to another carrier. Eliminating that restriction would allow communities to implement previously viable methods for recruiting new /expanded air service. We will continue to submit grant applications for funding of air service initiatives to our community. In 2011, our focus is to stabilize our newly expanded air service with increased marketing and local emphasis on our existing air carrier. 14 Terminal Facility: The existing terminal building is significantly undersized to meet future passenger demands. With the added requirements of security, the existing space is not large enough to efficiently handle current peak passenger loads. The Master Plan identified a new location for a modern Airline Terminal. This facility will be centrally located between the two primary runways separate from general aviation activities. Construction of infrastructure will include new parking Tots, entry roadways, taxiways, aircraft parking apron, and a new passenger terminal. The land for this expansion was acquired in 2009. Upon completion of land acquisition, preliminary design services began in 2010. Based on a total project cost of $39,882,532, approximately $35,399,425 of funding for this critical project will come from the Federal Aviation Administration via Airport Improvement Program (AIP) entitlement and discretionary grants. -t �t Ai N i 2_.,i_ - - - - arks:;: - .... Legend 1. lard/told/41m (103 acres) 2. Rwy. 31 Paie'Comectrg Takao 3. TermielAmess Ray 4. AksaflApron 5. Termiul BrUiq (33503 SF) 6. Tern al Rookay 7. Auto Pakiq (450 spoon) I;J 2. BEE BRANCH WATERSHED FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECT Purpose: To limit flooding in low /moderate income neighborhoods. In 1999, an unusually intense spring storm deluged Dubuque with rainfall. The storm produced in excess of four feet of stormwater in city streets and five feet of stormwater in basements, and resulted in a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Dubuque County. Flood damage devastated hundreds of homes in the City of Dubuque. At the time of the flood, the City was in the process of developing a Drainage Basin Master Plan (DBMP). On July 23, 2001, the DBMP was presented to City Council. It outlined the problem and identified several improvements to address the flooding problem. Dubuque's solution for solving the Bee Branch watershed stormwater problems consists of three projects - two detention basins and a mile long open waterway. The City completed the $1,100,000 Carter Road Detention Basin in 2003.and the $4,000,000 W. 32 Street Detention Basin in 2009. The third project in the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project involves the day lighting and restoration of over 4,500 feet of buried creek. It will re- introduce the confined Bee Branch Creek to the North End Neighborhood. Once it is complete, 1,000 homes will benefit from flood protection that meets today's design standards for stormwater management. The City understands that many citizens in Dubuque and across the country must deal with flooded basements. And in some cases, citizens must deal with stormwater stretching across the street from curb to curb. But nowhere else in our community does rain strand motorists in their cars — in the middle of the street. Nowhere else does basement flooding reach the rafters, inundating furnaces, water heaters, and electrical boxes. Nowhere else does basement flooding endanger the lives of our fellow citizens. That is why the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project is one of the City Council's top priorities. The project will be done in two phases. Construction of the first phase, the Lower Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project began in the fall of 2010. At a cost of $10.8 million construction is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 201. Construction of the second phase, or Upper Bee Branch Creek Restoration project is scheduled to start in the fall of 2011 at an estimated cost of $31.9 million. The City has established a storm water utility, and therefore the local match is available for this project. 16 Shown below is the City's vision for the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project. 17 t 1 t p Bike /Hike Trail System in the City of Dubuque, Iowa 18 The City of Dubuque is an active participant in long range planning for a comprehensive bike /hike trail system that will provide multi -modal transportation for the Dubuque metro area. The plan calls for a bike /hike network to encourage recreation and wellness, provide safe routes to school, and promote alternative modes of transportation to help reduce air pollution and roadway congestion. The intent is to develop safe, paved trails, with a corresponding website and maps, plus restrooms, benches and bike racks. Completion of the bike /hike trail system will add to the region's reputation as a tourist destination for both the State of Iowa and the tri -state area. The City's initial investment in the citywide bike /hike network has created a 10.5 -mile on- street Heritage Trail Riverfront System through many of the community's targeted neighborhoods and the central business district. These areas have a higher than average concentration of racial and ethnic minorities, low and moderate income households, rental units, single - parent households, and elderly persons than the city at large. The Dubuque County Heritage Trail and the City of Dubuque's Heritage Trail Extension are part of the backbone system of the State Recreational Trail Plan. The City's Heritage Trail system is part of the designated route for the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) through Iowa. The MRT is a 2,000 -mile bike trail system being developed through the river cities and river landscapes in the ten states along the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. The City has a long- standing commitment to a citywide bike /hike network that is accessible to all segments of the general population, including minorities, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. All City bike /hike trail projects comply with ADA and AASHTO guidelines for recreational trail facilities. All City bike /hike trails are open to the public free of charge. Since 1995, the City has has a successful funding partnership with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) for the planning, design, engineering, and construction of on- street and off -road bike /hike trails in Dubuque. The City also has successfully partnered with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for land acquisition, design, engineering, and construction of off -road trails. Since 2005, the City of Dubuque has been an active participant in the Envision 2010 grass roots effort to create an integrated walking, biking, hiking trail system for the tri- state area. In August 2008, the DMATS Policy Committee adopted the Tri -State Area Integrated Walking, Biking, Hiking Network Plan. The Plan includes the urbanized areas of Dubuque County. The City of East Dubuque and Jo Daviess County in Illinois and Grant County in Wisconsin are served by DMATS. In May, 2009, the City of Dubuque also adopted the Tri -State Trail Plan. ^PP.o,coee 0.9ber aeeTbs N Memie M T ery Powr4rTrer OehARm Owb ATN Owbwer arynssTrai A/EgePoll Verb node NHrm Pond Tear Mtsvpp Remv4ReClra Neau 6m neeeevbal tau /yuve..epAn of rws /yPom, Cex w rd A/R.nd O,OAw Rate N9dwelshnw RqW IYrbpeTril Cry Awns 'Ants d /tow St*, Roc 4ea Existing & Proposed Dubuque Hike /Bike System Marshall Park S litijorm a Arboretum t 0 019 09 Sagevilk Base data provided by Dubuque County GIS hike bike trails1Dubuque Hike Tike System 04_16_07 Z 1 1-3 Mmes of Spain State Rec Area Port of Dubuque, Ice Harbor J 19 FEMA Accepts Dubuque Flood Map Revisions On December 17, 2010, U.S. Senator Tom Harkin and Dubuque Mayor Roy D. Buol applauded a decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to accept flood maps revised by the City of Dubuque to determine which North End areas lie within the 100 year flood plain. The new maps reflect more accurate information about the flow of storm water and resolve conflicting data related to base flood elevations. FEMA's decision to use the new maps will save nearly 1,600 Dubuque households from being required to pay for flood insurance at the high risk rates. In 2009, City of Dubuque staff found inaccuracies in the preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) FEMA had prepared for Dubuque, particularly in areas newly designated as Special Flood Hazard Areas. The City of Dubuque retained an engineering consultant, CDM, to conduct a detailed analysis of the Bee Branch Creek watershed as part of a technical appeal filed with FEMA. FEMA said it will accept the City of Dubuque's data points, improving the accuracy of the maps for future planning. The result is that only 200 private properties will be added to Dubuque's North End flood plain rather than the approximately 1,800 properties that would have been added under the initially proposed FEMA maps. Homes with mortgages newly placed in the flood plain would be required to buy insurance with a typical added annual cost of about $400 to $1,500 per home. The maps will become effective September 1, 2011. For those newly designated as being in the flood plain, purchasing flood insurance before the maps become effective will entitle them to the current, lower rate for two years. Accurately mapping the flood plain is important to existing businesses and homeowners as well as those considering constructing new buildings in the flood plain. Development costs are significantly higher in flood plains. There is some good news for the remaining 200 North End properties that appear to be in the new flood plain. The City of Dubuque is committed to completion of the Bee Branch Creek Restoration Project by 2013. With this stormwater management project in place, the City will ask FEMA to remove these properties from the flood plain. 20 �L KAUFMANN AVE OLYMPIC HEIGHTS /34 80 AO ski ,CORTEZ DR j )s ' 8510 , gT as BERKLEY P BERNICEa FR6YA� BLANCHER' � PADRE "'; DR RIDGEWAY AVE � t P J0 5 � 9 z :.. OH O '( � r , 'a, . O\PT X00 S o � ; , ryyS0 51 m v� ARRY ST ._ 4ANSEN ST NAPIER Si: 21g �5 �� �; LoNiEiL sr y ` �ia 9 �st S 1 �_6 - CLARKE DnR o N� �. i . +6*st n y e m m y m N ;n s t I' wlri�crr �„ � ,. � � � . E ��N S S :� 8', O mgt N -, z -__ s , ." ;` o 5 ' w ‘D� N- : G S'ot' Z 110 TA .-� �S E9 ess GN jNS� JRSi Gt VP... 9 � C S t EatN 5 �j �Ns t 1 \� i �\`0 NAVi 0,6 6 S E ST ANNE DR W W PENNSYMNUAyE Legend CDM Bee Branch Flood Plain - Detailed Engineering Analysis 1 FEMA Flood Zone A 3. HISTORIC MILLWORK DISTRICT Dubuque's Historic Millwork District is a major community revitalization effort to create an urban mixed -use neighborhood in a 17 -block area adjacent to downtown Dubuque. The area has 28 historic buildings that were constructed prior to 1935 and were once part of two major millworking businesses that made Dubuque the largest millworking operation in the United States during the 1920's. Most of the millworking industry has left the area leaving approximately one million square feet of underutilized space. The revitalization of the Historic Millwork District has become a top priority for the Dubuque City Council as it is being designed to address the issues of sustainability, workforce and economic development, historic preservation, and arts and culture. The revitalization of this District will also help the City address the critical shortage of rental residential units. The following is a discussion of how the Historic Millwork District revitalization will become a model to address these issues. 21 Sustainability_ A paradigm shift is occurring where the environment is becoming a more significant consideration in community development. The City of Dubuque has adopted a sustainability policy focusing on the three elements of Sustainability; Environmental and Ecological Integrity, Economic Prosperity, and Social and Cultural Vibrancy. The City believes that development in Dubuque should achieve all three elements to ensure that the future of Dubuque is viable, livable, and equitable for all. This project will be utilizing the existing built infrastructure (Le. the buildings and non - obsolete utilities) as opposed to building new buildings on the outskirts of town or tearing down these functionally obsolete buildings and dumping the materials in the landfill. The Historic Millwork District buildings have great value in their embodied energy, or the energy invested in the construction materials and that energy should be conserved. These buildings have historical character, have years of useful life and should be redeveloped to provide a place for Dubuque to grow without sprawling into our agricultural resources. These buildings also have access to existing utilities and public infrastructure decreasing the negative impact on the City's services. Several components of the Historic Millwork District revitalization will positively address environmental impact this area will have. The district is being designed to take innovative resource management approaches to water including; green roofs, permeable paving on city streets, rain gardens to encourage infiltration, and grey water systems for the landscape watering and other non potable water uses (Le. toilets). Workforce and Economic Development: Iowa and particularly Dubuque, has experienced a "brain drain" of human talent leaving the state. One major reason for this is the lack of an urban sense of place that young professionals seek early in their lives. The Historic Millwork District will be an urban lifestyle center where a person can live, work, and recreate all within a relatively close proximity. This District will provide a great marketing tool to recruit and retain young professionals. Urban unique neighborhoods attract creative industries promoting economic development and this is already being seen in the Historic Millwork District. A marketing firm and several technology companies have committed to the area and more will do the same when the infrastructure and environmental issues are addressed. The U.S. economy will continue to be the location for these creative industries and it is important to create an atmosphere where they can thrive and grow. In January 2009, IBM announced the creation of 1,300 new I.T. jobs in downtown Dubuque. This announcement has caused a significant demand for downtown living options from new residents preferring to live near work and entertainment opportunities. A recent economic study of housing in the City of Dubuque has shown unmet demand for this housing type. A key component to creating an urban neighborhood in small metro areas is to have rental housing available at lease rates which can be achieved by residents that have incomes near the area's median income level. The Historic Millwork District 22 rehabilitation requires significant expense and without financial assistance to keep lease rates affordable, the average earner will not be able to live there and the developer will have trouble filling the apartments. Historic Preservation: There are 28 buildings in the District. The core of the Historic Millwork District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The City and its partners believe it is important to save these historic buildings that tell the development history of Dubuque. As a part of the redevelopment, we intend to create a "living museum" in the district so when people are walking and enjoying this unique, sustainable, and creative place, they will also be exposed to the history of the area. This will be accomplished by utilizing complete streets" concepts and installing information stations that tell the story of the buildings; who owned these buildings, what they were used for, and how the products that were created here were produced. In February 2010, the HFWA announced a TIGER Grant to the City for $5.6 million to fund complete streets and infrastructure on the Millwork District. The City approved a contract with HFWA for this grant funding in November 2010. The final design for these improvements has been completed and bids are due in January 2011 with a project award anticipated in February. Arts & Culture: The Arts and Culture community has embraced this area and want to create an environment where the arts are created and celebrated. Several art shows already utilize the space and a non - profit art center has moved to the area providing opportunities for disadvantaged children to be exposed to creating art. The arts play a large role in creating an inviting atmosphere for residents and businesses to thrive. In partnership with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), the major building owners, the City, and other community organizations, a Master Plan for the District was adopted in February 2009. It provides specifics to achieve above issues within the District. The revitalization effort is estimated to be a $200 million project broken into three phases. The $200 million consists of improvements relating to the buildings, infrastructure, and streetscape within the Historic Millwork District. 4. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FINANCE TOOLS Ongoing economic development initiatives in the City of Dubuque, specifically restoration and adaptive reuse of the constellation of buildings in the Historic Millwork District (warehouse district) and other downtown buildings including the Roshek Building, benefit from federal financing programs. Two in particular merit support from our Federal representatives. 23 New Markets Tax Credit Program The New Markets Tax Credit program provides a potential financing tool for major economic development projects in Dubuque including the Historic Millwork District restoration and revitalization, the Dubuque Pack site redevelopment and the Briggs project on the Fourth Street peninsula. Unfortunately, the program has not benefited rural states and communities in the same manner it has benefited larger metro centers. Expanding the program and helping to ensure it is accessible to smaller communities in rural states would benefit the City of Dubuque and its partners in the private sector. Additionally, the flexibility of the program is desirable, but its accompanying complexity tends to increase legal, accounting, and CDE fees, since each project is unique and thus requires extensive planning and oversight to achieve and maintain program compliance. These increased fees reduce the amount of equity available for the project, often rather significantly. Finding ways to streamline the program would benefit projects and communities that make use of this funding tool. National Historic Tax Credits Historic Tax Credits at the state and federal level provide valuable financing tools for expanded economic development in Dubuque. At the federal level of government we support passage of the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act (H.R. 37151S, 1743). This legislation is a package of amendments which would further the ability of Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits to enhance investment in main street neighborhoods and older urban neighborhood reinvestment. The Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit is the nation's largest federal incentive promoting urban and rural revitalization through private investment in reusing historic buildings. The credit encourages reinvestment in downtowns, generates jobs, and is instrumental in preserving the historic places that give cities, towns and rural areas their unique character. The Community Restoration and Revitalization Act would make beneficial changes to the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit and provide a greater incentive for the reuse of older and historic buildings. All of these measures in the bill would bring needed improvements, but the following measures are of particular interest to Dubuque. • Raising the credit from 20% to 30% for projects with QREs under $5,000,000. • Raising the credit from 20% to 23 or 24% for projects reducing energy costs by 30 %+ during the 5 -year compliance period. Redefining "old" buildings as those more than 50 -years old vs. the current 1936 standard. • Exempting the income from SHTCs from federal taxation. • Striking 3 of the 4 disqualified lease rules (all except the "sale leaseback ") from the program. Although the rehab credit is currently the nation's largest federal incentive for promoting sustainable development through private investment, a greater potential for revitalizing communities could be realized with the proposed amendments. 24 Additionally, we support increasing federal tax credits from 20% to 40% for the first $5 million in expenditures for a project and to 26% for the remaining portion of a project. Specifically for disaster related projects (several eligible buildings in Dubuque, and many throughout the state of Iowa), we support extending the 26% Historic Tax Credit. Buildings that have been impacted by flooding and other disasters have additional expenses compared to other rehabilitation projects. The 6% boost in the credit provides critical dollars to help restore our downtowns. Disaster recovery is a long -term process, often taking decades; with the first three -year authorization scheduled to expire at the end of this year, it is imperative that we protect and extend the 26% historic credit if we want recovery to continue. Smart Growth Workforce Housing Tax Credit Smart Growth Workforce Housing is sustainable, transit - oriented housing that is affordable for our workforce (earning 80% -120% area median income, or AMI). Our community is in great need of this type of housing option, but it is not currently financially feasible. Creating a federal Smart Growth Workforce Housing Tax Credit will stabilize Dubuque's community, will prioritize environmentally - sustainable development, and will promote economic development. The use of the Low - Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program has become the financial tool of choice for developers creating multi - family housing in all areas of the United States. This program incents the development of housing for households earning less than 60% AMI. It offsets the difference between development costs (which are fairly constant in all areas) and attainable rent levels (which need to be affordable). The LIHTC program, despite its benefits, is the proper tool only where more low- income housing is needed. While striving to focus on sustainability and economic development, communities and developers are now struggling to provide housing for our workforce demographic. With the influx of professional employees to Dubuque this past year, our need to provide housing for this demographic has suddenly and drastically increased and is directly related to the retention of these jobs. According to current income levels, Dubuque's workforce households can afford rents between $650 and $950. But due to construction costs, newly - produced units in our community are charging $900 to $1,500. This places a significant cost burden on our working households. It also puts developers at risk; as supply and demand for housing balances out in the coming years, there is no guarantee that they will be able to continue to command these higher rent levels. The solution is to create an incentive program that allows developers to provide quality housing at prices that our workforce can afford. A Smart Growth Workforce Housing Tax Credit program could closely mirror much of the LIHTC program's structure, with credits being organized through State housing finance agencies and having income and rent restrictions during the compliance period. However, the credit would include modifications to ensure the housing follows smart 25 growth principles, fulfills a community's housing need, and is available to workforce households. Dubuque supports the creation of such a program and looks forward to working with our elected officials and their staff to craft this solution. 5. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE - SUSTAINABILITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY The City of Dubuque identified Sustainable City designation as one of its top priorities in 2006. Since then, multiple strategies and practices have been implemented to make Dubuque a more sustainable community. The City is a member of Climate Communities and ICLEI — Local Governments for Sustainability, and joins all of its members in supporting local government action on climate change as essential for America to achieve energy independence, renew economic prosperity and preserve biodiversity Federal policies must empower local governments with the tools and resources to respond to the climate challenge. We request your support in achieving the following goals of the Climate Action Blueprint. Enact an economic recovery policy that creates green jobs by: Enact a national climate policy that: • Invests the proceeds from carbon trading into local government actions that reduce emissions through green buildings; transit, smart growth complete streets and other VMT reduction strategies; green local fleets and fuels; renewable energy; including anaerobic digestion green infrastructure; and reuse, recycling and composting green jobs and businesses. Implement clean energy policies that: • Reduce building energy use by 30 percent by 2025 by establishing national building efficiency targets and providing annual funding to help local governments meet or exceed the national targets; and • Produce 25 percent of the nation's power from renewable energy by 2025 through renewable portfolio standards, and measures to overcome interconnection and rate barriers to community -scale renewables. Invest in local climate capacity through annual federal appropriations that: • Fully fund the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants at $2 billion annually; • Provide $250 million annually for EPA Local Climate Demonstration Grants; • Provide $400 million annually for the DOE Clean Cities program to support low emission vehicles and cleaner fuels including alternative fuels infrastructure and plug - in hybrid vehicles; and • Provide $100 million annually for the Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry program. Transform the nation's transportation strategy by: • Substantially increasing federal resources for public transit; • Supporting local initiatives to reduce vehicle- dependence and use including resources for smart growth and transit - oriented development, VMT reduction planning and 26 implementation, walkability programs, bikeways and greenways, infill and brownfields revitalization, and reuse of historic and existing buildings; and • Funding low- emission busses, clean local fleets, and local alternative fuels infrastructure. Create American green jobs and green businesses by: • Creating a $500 million "Climate Prosperity" demonstration grant program that directs Economic Development Administration, HUD, Small Business Administration, and USDA Rural Development funding to support local economic development strategies that produce green businesses and green jobs; especially by converting currently wasted materials being land filled to beneficial use through recycling composting and anaerobic digestion. • Fully funding the Green Jobs Act of 2007 at $125 million annually to support worker training in emerging manufacturing and hi -tech sectors; and • Creating an "Energy Conservation Corps" service program to empower young Americans to be part of new clean energy solutions. Build self - reliant communities that are prepared for climate impacts by: • Creating a federal interagency task force on Climate Resiliency and Community Preparedness to produce a federal action plan for (a) national research and development; (b) local technical assistance; and (c) new protocols for intergovernmental collaboration at local, state, regional and federal levels; • Expanding the FEMA Pre - Disaster Mitigation program to $500 million annually to support local government initiatives to address climate impacts; • Expanding NOAA's Coastal Zone Management Act and climate programs to directly support local climate adaptation planning and implementation; and • Fostering and funding local efforts to support families and populations most vulnerable to climate impacts. Including infrastructure improvements for local food production processing and marketing HUD Energy Action Plan The City of Dubuque Housing & Community Development Department Energy Program can help stretch the value of HUD and other funds by encouraging energy efficiency during renovation projects. Ensuring energy efficiency will maximize the value of CDBG, HOME, HOPE, and other HUD funds. This is especially important to the Dubuque community as there is a higher percentage of older, energy- inefficient housing stock. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with the Department of Energy (DOE) in this Partnership to expand efforts to promote ENERGY STAR products and appliances. ENERGY STAR is a government- backed program that helps businesses and individuals identify energy efficient products, appliances, and homes to protect the environment and save energy. As a key part of this initiative, HUD, DOE, and EPA are teaming up to grow Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, a whole house retrofit program to provides technical assistance to local programs that promote wise home energy use; in turn reducing the community's energy intensity and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) developed the HUD Department -Wide Energy Action Plan, which was approved in April 2002. The HUD 27 Energy Action Plan implementation is aimed at reducing HUD's $4 billion "energy bill" by promoting energy efficiency in approximately five million units assisted, insured, or financed by HUD. The Energy Action Plan includes 21 measures aimed at upgrading the energy efficiency of existing and new housing, using an established inventory of proven energy- efficient products and appliances that can be put to work immediately through existing programs. 6. YOUTHBUILD An important component of Dubuque's sustainability initiative emphasizes restoring people. The well - established HEART program helps us to meet this goal, and is a vital component of our workforce development initiatives and dedication to youth identified through the community's Every Child, Every Promise initiative. HEART is changing the lives of our community's youth by providing vocational construction training and education through the complete rehabilitation of blighted properties in Dubuque. The program teaches self - reliance and instills a strong sense of accomplishment, and provides support for a segment of our population that would otherwise slip through the cracks. The City and its partners have applied for a Department of Labor grant in order to expand HEART to become a YouthBuild program. This expansion would allow us to serve a larger number of at -risk youth and greatly expand the number of services offered to participants. The growth would also allow the program to revitalize more of Dubuque's historic homes and fill a gap in affordable home ownership needs for families. We appreciate the federal staff's support of the HEART program to date and request your support of the YouthBuild application. 7. HOME DESIGNATION Dubuque is the largest city in Iowa that is not a Participating Jurisdiction (PJ) for the HOME program. In order to receive PJ status, Dubuque has to meet a $500,000 Congressional appropriations threshold. According to the HOME Program allocation formula, Dubuque would have received $257,551 in 2008 as a PJ, leaving it $242,449 short of the $500,000. The City is requesting a one -time Congressional appropriation of $242,449, to meet the $500,000 threshold. After this and an IDED one -time appropriation, Dubuque would receive an annual $250,000+ HOME grant, justifying the one -time additional public investment. The HOME funds would essentially restore the shortfall created by a reduction in CDBG funding, and allow us to deliver needed services and resources to our community and economic development programs. 28 8. COMMUNICATIONS As a member of the National League of Cities (NLC), the United States Conference of Mayors, and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), the City of Dubuque joins these organizations in acknowledging that the historic transformation of our communications infrastructure is essential to the economic competitiveness of the local governments, states and the nation. Our public safety officials need E -911, Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) capabilities, and spectrum for wireless communications to protect the public. Consumers deserve a broadband marketplace that includes competition for both price and service quality. Neither economic status nor location should be a barrier for citizens to broadband networks. Local businesses require access to networks in order to compete and local governments require the ability to manage our resources and tax base in order to best serve our constituents. • Preserve local authority to manage public rights of way for the benefit of everyone. Cable television and video franchise agreements are an essential part of managing the rights of way and ensuring appropriate compensation for the benefit of the public. These benefits include not only monetary payments, but also franchise terms such as support for public, educational and governmental (PEG) access, including institutional networks (I- Nets). • Protect local authority to establish taxes that are consistent with local needs and maintain adequate revenue. Local governments recognize and support efforts to modernize the collection and administration of local communications taxes, but in a manner that preserves the ability of local government to impose and collect taxes to fund vital services for its citizens consistent with local values. • Protect and enhance local ability to provide for homeland and hometown security. Local government's first responders need fully deployed E911, access to spectrum and funding for interoperable communications to protect the public. • Recognize local roles in promoting nondiscriminatory access to the full range of communications services. Municipalities are helping to bring advanced services to individuals and small businesses. Cities must have the autonomy necessary to encourage competition and infrastructure deployment that will lower prices and improve service quality for their citizens. Request of Congress • Do not nationalize cable and video franchising. • Protect local governments' ability to facilitate or offer advanced communications services to their citizens 29 • Any changes to the collection and administration of communications taxes, including extensions or modifications of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, must preserve local authority to collect revenue consistent with local needs. • Do not undermine or eliminate support for PEG access and I -Nets. Specifically support Community Access Preservation (CAP) Act of 2009 (HR3745) by making this a federal legislative priority Local Government Principles for Communications Policy Modernization We believe that Congress and state and local governments can achieve these goals by embracing the following principles: • State and Local Authority The City supports a balanced federalist approach that encourages new innovation and technology while preserving appropriate authority for state and local governments to protect their citizens — particularly in relation to public safety and homeland security, promoting local competition, promoting economic development, taxation, expansion of access to advanced networks, rights -of -way management, and consumer protection. • Public Safety State and local public safety agencies rely heavily on communications services and systems to protect public safety. In order for states and localities to carry out this mission, it is essential that important obligations, such as E911 and CALEA, be applied to all relevant communications platforms, regardless of technology. States and localities must also have sufficient spectrum and funding to obtain interference -free, interoperable emergency communications. In addition, it is important to preserve and strengthen the ability of state and local government to protect and warn the public through emergency alert systems. • Competition States and localities benefit from, and support, competition and innovation and technology neutrality. When a fully competitive market does not exist, states and localities must retain the authority to ensure nondiscriminatory access to essential facilities, to prevent incumbents from using market power to stifle competition and innovation, and to maintain consumer safeguards when market forces fail. • Use of public property and right -of -way State and local governments are the trustees of public property and must retain the power to manage those assets for the benefit and safety of the community. • Municipal Broadband State and local governments can play an important role in making advanced services, including broadband services, available to their citizens, based on specific local needs 30 and conditions. Federal policy should promote the rights of local governments that choose to offer those services directly to their citizens. • Video Franchising The federal government should not preempt or restrict local authority to negotiate mutually beneficial agreements and grant franchises to video providers. Public, educational, and governmental channels are important tools citizens use to participate I would recommend that the City of Dubuque support the following: CAP Act of 2009 (H.R. 3745). The CAP (Community Access Preservation) Act of 2009 introduced by Wisconsin Rep Tammy Baldwin recognizes the important role that Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access channels play in local communities and addresses some of the concerns facing these channels. Legislation that establishes national standards for interoperable public safety standards for first responders. Legislation that preserves and extends municipal government authority to provide communications services to their constituents. Legislation that overturns the FCC cable franchise order and returns to the local franchising scheme set out in the 1984 Cable Act. I would recommend that the City of Dubuque oppose a wireless tax moratorium. In local democracy. Ensuring expanded access to multichannel video programming is an important role of local government. • Expanded Access States and localities support policies and programs that advance access to communications services and ubiquitous broadband deployment in all areas of the country. Current initiatives that promote universal and affordable access to communications services include the federal and state universal service funds, the E -Rate program, Lifeline and Linkup, urban and rural infrastructure support mechanisms, and obligations ensuring equitable cable and broadband deployment. • Taxation States and localities should retain full flexibility, as does the federal government, to structure their tax policies in ways that best serves their citizens. • Consumer Protection States and localities are best positioned to respond effectively to a wide variety of consumer concerns, including but not limited to complaints related to service quality and affordability, reliability, deceptive practices, billing practices, privacy, and criminal activity. 31 • Wireless Zoning and Siting It is essential for local communities to be able to address the expansion of wireless facilities so as to promote the deployment of advanced communications while also protecting the interests of citizens in safety, sound planning, and aesthetic concerns. Cellular carriers have petitioned the FCC to create new, onerous regulations that would make it more difficult for local governments to carry out their responsibilities in this area. The Communications Act prohibits such FCC regulation. Congress should ensure that the balance struck in federal law is not overturned by agency action. Local government strongly endorses promoting competition for all consumers and treating like services alike. The elected leaders of our nation's cities and counties stand ready and willing to welcome video competition in their communities. Centralizing franchising at the federal or state level, however, limits the benefits of head -to -head video competition to a chosen few, and deprives consumers of important protections. •The FCC Recent FCC actions to regulate local franchising have compromised local governments' ability to act in the best interests of their citizens. Congress should act to prevent the FCC from overstepping its authority and altering the balance of federal, state, and local authority that Congress established in the Cable Act. The FCC's recent orders fly in the face of the law and threaten to disrupt long- standing cable television franchise agreements. Before Congress acts, it should consider: • States where statewide or state - controlled franchising is currently in place do not see greater or faster video competition deployment than states where it is not. • Franchises do not just provide permission to offer video services. They are the core tools local government uses to manage streets and sidewalks, provide for public safety, enhance competition, and collect compensation for private use of public land. Eliminating local franchises deprives local government of the power to perform basic functions. • Competition is for everyone. Current national policy implemented through franchises encourages competition throughout the country, not just in urban or suburban areas and not just for the wealthy. In less than ten years, under the current system, broadband service has been made available to 91% of all homes passed by cable. • Neither Congress nor the FCC should try to manage local streets and sidewalks from Washington. National franchising would abrogate a basic tenet of federalism by granting companies access to locally owned property on federally defined terms. • Market factors, not local governments, control the pace of new broadband deployment. Telephone companies have not yet seriously dedicated resources to negotiate franchises in many markets. Potential video competitors require 32 relatively few franchises to implement their announced business plans (for AT &T 1,500 -2,000 franchises, for Verizon 100 -200 franchises). 9. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) FUNDING The City of Dubuque relies on CDBG money to fund many of its vital programs. Projects that are at least partially funded by CDBG include rehabilitation of rental and owner - occupied housing, homeowner education classes, lead paint hazard abatement, commercial and industrial building rehabilitation and economic development, childcare referral services, dispute resolutions services, to support operations of several non- profits providing direct services to income - eligible individuals and families, as part of the community development/neighborhood strategy program.. In the last seven years, federal CDBG funding has been cut by 18.8 %, or $279,573. This severe cut has hurt local communities — local economies, local projects, and, most importantly, the low- and moderate - income households that reside in these communities and need the assistance. The CDBG formula funding has never been adjusted for inflation (since the inception of the program in 1974), even though construction costs, wages, and other program costs have escalated sharply in the past three decades. By continuing to level -fund the formula portion of the program — at $3.71 billion over the past three years — the impact and purchasing power of CDBG continues to shrink because of increasing inflation. The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Community Development Association are calling for a doubling of CDBG funding, to $8 billion, over the next several years. The City of Dubuque requests that our congressional members support the CDBG program during the FY09 budget and appropriation process, seeking support of $4.1 billion in formula funding in FY09. 10. INDIAN GAMING REGULATIONS The City is concerned about the uncontrolled growth of Indian Casinos on off premises (reservation) lands. There are several pieces of legislation which would place controls on this growth, including HR 4893 (The Right Act) and S.2078 (Indian Gaming Regulatory Act Amendments of 2006). The City supports legislation that places safeguards on the growth of Indian casinos. Specifically, the City encourages legislation to: • Rewrite Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which authorizes reservation shopping. This means that under no circumstances can a tribe that already has land in trust acquire more land that is not contiguous to its reservation, and use it for gaming. This will put a permanent end to reservation shopping. 33 • Give local communities a seat at the table during the process to mitigate impacts of casinos proposed by newly recognized or restored tribes. This means the tribe and local community must enter into a memorandum of understanding where the tribe must pay the community for mitigation of direct effects of the casino on infrastructure and services like transportation and public safety. • Ban any attempts to establish off - reservation casinos outside of the state where the tribe presently resides. 11. CRESCENT COMMUNTY HEALTH CENTER Crescent Community Health Center, similar to other businesses in the community, is being hit hard by the recession. We continue to see a great number of new uninsured patients. The "average" CHC payer mix has had 30 -38% uninsured patients. Crescent is on track this year to see almost 50% uninsured patients. The FY 2010 HRSA grant, approximately $680,000, covers about 25% of Crescent's $ 2.7M budget, creating a 25% shortfall that is not being made up by Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance or self -pay patients. This has forced staff cuts to control costs, but also extends the time in which patients are seen by a medical provider. • A "funding formula" in which a larger part of the federal funding takes into account the number or increases in the number of uninsured patients should be created. The largest number of patients with repeated no -show appointments is Medicaid patients. Crescent staff work hard to eliminate barriers to making appointments, such as transportation and reminder calls. Bus tickets and taxi vouchers are available if patients live outside of walking distance from the clinic. Social workers assist patients if there are other barriers to care. But, the no -show rate continues between 17 and 40% on any given day. • Patients eligible for Medicaid should be charged if they fail to make their appointments or create a disincentive for missing appointments. Medicaid patients should also be able to be redirected from emergency rooms to a local CHC for non - emergency reasons, e.g. sore throats, colds, etc. A 2007 study by the National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, states that "Persons with Medicaid coverage were more likely to have had multiple visits to the ED in a 12 month period than those with private insurance and the uninsured.. Emergency rooms are obligated to at least see and stabilize the patient. Poverty, education levels and race all play a role in overutilization of emergency departments and no -show rates at health center. A concerted effort backed by funding and disincentives needs to be implemented in order to educate patients about wellness and prevention efforts. 34 A second significant concern is the lack of Family Physicians to fill a vacancy at the Center. Private firms and the Iowa Primary Care Association have been seeking a full - time medical provider since early November. Provider coverage will continue to be an issue into the future due to the high number of medical students choosing specialty occupations and leaving the State of Iowa for other areas of the nation. Having enhanced funding for the National Health Service Corps will help, but, the candidates need to be available. The Center will be assuming the primary care of many patients from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics early in 2011. We need additional providers to assume their care. 1 U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. NCHS Data Brief, No. 38, May 2010 12. AMERICA'S RIVER AT THE PORT OF DUBUQUE RIM Cat Of NIU I C MA/ NI 35 National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Mississippi Plaza and Research Center In June of 2010, the Dubuque County Historical Society opened the National River Center, the Museum's first component of America's River Phase 11. The second component of this project is the Mississippi Plaza and the Research Center. The Museum & Aquarium is the leading tourism attraction in Dubuque and the surrounding area and it has a significant effect on the economy of the region. Not only does it draw over 200,000 people a year, but it is often used by economic development officials to show quality of life to prospective companies who want to ensure that they can attract and retain employees in Dubuque. The Museum's new National Rivers Center created 45 jobs during the construction phase and continues to create jobs annually, both on site and in the community. It will continue to draw investment to Dubuque and the Port of Dubuque and will enhance Iowa's role as having the leading educational institution in the nation to learn about the Mississippi River and the rivers of America. This expansion of the award - winning National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium doubled the size and impact of the current Museum and enhance even further Iowa's role as a national and international leader in environmental education. The two major components of Museum & Aquarium campus will be connected by the Mississippi Plaza, which will be developed as part of the second component of America's River Phase 11. This Plaza, recipient of a $1.23 million Vision Iowa RECAT grant, will connect the two main buildings of the Museum: the National River Center and the Mississippi River Center. This connection is a critical need and will provide a safe and controlled area for families with children, as well as easy wayfinding for hundreds of thousands of visitors. The proposed Research Center will conserve several important species and will explore the Mississippi River's relationship to the Gulf of Mexico with nationally important issues such as water quality and species biodiversity. Research issues include hypoxia and the dead zone, flood control, and captive breeding and propagation of endangered species. This center could be supported through funding from USDA and EPA. A. Mississippi Plaza The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium is creating a new attraction, the Mississippi Plaza at the Port of Dubuque, with significant investment of Vision Iowa funds. The City of Dubuque is creating overnight visiting boat docks at the Port of Dubuque as match. These two powerful and adjacent components will have significant impact on Dubuque and the state of Iowa. Connecting the two ends of the museum campus, the Mississippi Plaza will create a dynamic attraction in this space measuring 450 feet long and 150 feet wide. The Mississippi Plaza will be a space for families and children to learn and play along the banks of Ice Harbor and the Mississippi River. It will be a dynamic eco -park and instill a greater appreciation of the river and the working harbor. The Port of Dubuque is 36 a former brown field site that is now a focal point for the river in Dubuque. The Mississippi Plaza will provide one of the most dynamic and interactive spaces along the river walk. The Plaza will be one of the first things that visitors see when they arrive at the Port of Dubuque from the 3rd Street overpass. The flash of color, the people gathered, the water elements, and the native plantings will encourage visitation and provide an area for families to relax, to have fun, to learn, and to reconnect with the Mississippi River. The overnight large boat marina will be first -class boat dock for visiting overnight boaters with minimum number of slips for 56 boats, electrical and water hook ups, and a concierge like information center for serving the travel needs of the boaters. It will be a showcase project that will instill a major element of activities at the Port of Dubuque and will leverage the substantial public infrastructure that currently exists on the Port of Dubuque and will help the economic and community development of the region. Elements of the Plaza include: ® Space for festivals and Museum - sponsored public events, art on the river, snow sculptures, festivals, classic boat shows, and other gatherings. ® A covered connector between the Mississippi River Center and the National River Center to protect visitors from the elements. ® Continuation of the river walk along the north edge of the Mississippi Plaza and large double gates for public admission to the Mississippi Plaza for public days. ® Retention of the fence along the water's edge to protect Museum visitors and keep small children from wandering onto the public boat docks. ® An outdoor Dining Terrace with shade sails over the seating area with evening music /movies on the terrace and access for the general public, and visiting boaters as well as museum visitors. ® A large Living Fish Stream fed by geothermal discharge with aquarium - quality fish for feeding and a `Huck Finn' raft ride for children. ® An Events Pavilion for demonstrations, special events. ® A Children's Interactive fountain area with eco- fountains that teach about water conservation, as well as a walk through sculptural catfish.. ® A Reflections Butterfly Garden for quiet time and to honor those who have lost their lives on the river or dedicated their lives to the river. ® A demonstration of a pervious paving system to reduce water runoff and demonstrate sustainable practices. ® Trees with natural native plantings. ® Educational exhibits. The Plaza will enclose the museum campus and its eco -park will provide the opportunity for visitors to remain in the Museum zone as they go between the two major elements of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, the Mississippi River Center (opened in 2003) and the National Rivers Center (opened in 2010). B. National River Research and Conservation Center With appropriate finding, the Museum & Aquarium will staff a major research center for rivers. This will be a research center that addresses the need to reduce nutrient 37 loading, understand sediment flow, increase understanding of habitat preservation, and address other nationally significant issues. The new Research Center will collaborate with federal and state agencies, Iowa State University, University of Iowa and other land -grant universities, and local and national academic institutions. The Museum will also continue to work with threatened and endangered species such as mussels, mud puppies, salamanders, frogs and other species, which will be conserved to increase their populations. What separates this from many other institutions is that exhibits will be created to let the public know the research that is underway at the Museum and at related sites. Language authorizing the establishment of the research center at Dubuque is included in the Water Resource and Development Act, which was passed by Congress in 2007 allowing for the appropriation of funding. C. Current Status: The total budget for the Americas' River Phase 11 Museum expansion is $70.4 million. We have secured $66.4 million to date and have $4 million yet to raise. City funding : Over $29.5 million was committed by the City of Dubuque for parking and infrastructure. County funding is $500,000 State funding is $9.9 million, which includes two Vision Iowa awards which require matching funding. Federal funding to date is $7.5 million Private fund raising has secured $19 million. D. Timeframe The Vision Iowa RECAT contract calls for the Museum & Aquarium to open the Mississippi River Plaza in December, 2012. Federal funding I in calendar year 2011 would enable the Museum & Aquarium to meet the Vision Iowa deadline. Additional federal funding of $3 million in future years would enable the Museum & Aquarium to develop the Research, Outreach and Conservation Center to its full national potential. 38