Volume 1; Issue 5

Next EDA Telecast/Webcast - July 17, 2008, 2:30 p.m. 

Seeing the Green: Bolstering Economic Development Strategies with 

Environmental Responsibility 

The July 17, 2008 telecast/Webinar will focus on the intersection between 

economic development and sustainable business and planning practices. Sign up to

learn how economic regions can strengthen their competitiveness through 

innovative and "green" sustainable development strategies, including alternative 

energy practices, green-collar jobs creation and forward-thinking business 

activities. Guests will discuss local and regional strategies for conserving energy, 

increasing efficiency and boosting business profits. 

The discussion will be led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 

Economic Development Benjamin Erulkar. 

Other panelists include: 

• Tom Darden, President, Cherokee Investment Partners 

• W. Paul Farmer, FAICP, Executive Director and CEO, 

 American Planning Association 

• Nancy McKeever, I-PLACE3S/Sustainable Energy Program Manager, 

 California Energy Commission 

To register, visit: http://edabroadcast.haverstick.biz

2008 EDA Excellence Award Winners Announced! 

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Sandy K. Baruah 

recently announced the winners of the 2008 Economic Development Awards. Open 

to nonprofit organizations, local, state and regional government entities, 

universities and colleges, the winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of 

economic development experts. 

Excellence in Rural Economic Development

Jackson County Development Council Inc. Marianna, Florida 

Specific program: Green Circle BioEnergy Inc., (Project "PELLET") 

Excellence in Urban or Suburban Economic Development

East Baltimore Development Inc., Baltimore, Maryland 

Excellence in Enhancing Regional Competitiveness

City of Lima, Ohio, Lima, Ohio 

Excellence in Economic Adjustment Strategies

City of Duluth Economic Development Authority, Duluth, Minnesota 

Specific Program: Creation of an aeronautical manufacturing cluster 

Excellence in Technology-led Economic Development

Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 

Excellence in Community and Faith-Based Social Entrepreneurship

Desert Alliance for Community Empowerment, Coachella, California 

Excellence in Innovation in Economic Development

Bladen’s Bloomin’ Agri-Industrial Inc., Elizabethtown, North Carolina 

Excellence in Historic Preservation-led Strategies to Enhance Economic 

Click SUBSCRIBE to Learn 

about other Exciting EDA 

News 

EDA’s Annual Report – Now 

Available!

EDA publishes an annual report to 

update Congress on the agency’s 

programs, policies, performance and 

its annual investments made in each 

state. The report describes EDA 

programs and highlights examples of 

outstanding economic development 

investments. It also includes 

information on economic 

development districts, university 

center economic development 

activities, trade adjustment 

assistance centers and EDA award 

programs. EDA’s FY2007 annual 

report can be viewed at 

www.eda.gov. 

APA ́s Economic Development 

Toolbox Part Four: Direct and 

Indirect Economic 

Development Strategies

There are several different ways to 

address economic development, but 

generally successful strategies fall 

into the either two categories: 

“direct” or “indirect.” Direct economic 

development strategies include 

facility creation and business 

incubation. Indirect business 

development strategies include 

promoting financial incentives and 

small business assistance programs. 

For more information on choosing a 

direct or indirect economic 

development strategy, visit 

www.planning.org/eda/ 

EDA Reauthorization 

EDA is pleased to announce that the 

Department of Commerce sent 

Congress a legislative proposal to 

reauthorize EDA for five years. EDA's 

current authorization expires 

September 30, 2008. The proposed 

reauthorization legislation is good 

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Development

Silver City MainStreet Project, Silver City, New Mexico 

Greensburg Rebuilding Green 

On May 4, 2007, an EF-5 tornado made a direct hit on Greensburg, Kansas, 

virtually destroying the entire town of 1,500 residents. Despite the tragedy and 

devastation, Greensburg elected officials and business leaders seized on the 

opportunity to build a stronger and more vibrant community by leveraging federal 

funding with private dollars to create a recovery that would be both 

environmentally and economically sustainable. 

Following cleanup efforts that lasted several months, the city focused its efforts on 

rebuilding the Main Street downtown core. The U.S. Economic Development 

Administration invested $2.3 million to rebuild the four-block area into a unique, 

vibrant district for businesses, residents and visitors. 

Building a new vision for the city, elected officials decided to embrace energy 

efficiency, infrastructure improvements and "green" – or environmentally 

preserved – corridors, to rebuild a sustainable city for the 21st century. 

After analyzing a variety of options, the Greensburg City Council passed a 

resolution that all city building projects meet Leadership in Energy and 

Environmental Design (LEED) platinum level standards. LEED, an initiative of the 

U.S. Green Building Council, strives to accelerate global adoption of sustainable 

green building and development practices. While green building standards are 

being adopted in many communities across the country, Greensburg became the 

first city in the United States to require municipal buildings to achieve the LEED 

platinum level standard – the highest level in the LEED rating system. 

Thanks to a commitment to green initiatives and public and private investment, 

Greensburg is on the road to recovery. More than 140 new homes and several 

businesses are being rebuilt as part of the city’s signature Main Street 

redevelopment project to create a model sustainable community. Although 

Greensburg faces challenges in the rebuilding process, the city is making progress 

on a daily basis and is on its way to meeting its goal of becoming a world-class 

green city. 

On May 4, 2008 – the one-year anniversary of the tornado – President George W. 

Bush visited Greensburg to survey the recovery efforts and to highlight the 

importance of this region's strategy to not only rebuild, but to rebuild better 

through its green economic development initiative. At the 2008 Greensburg High 

School commencement, the president applauded community leaders for their 

determination and dedication to rebuild in the face of adversity. "They envision a 

future where new jobs flourish, where every public building meets the highest 

environmental standards, and where the beauty of rural America meets the great 

possibilities of new technology," he affirmed. "The community is dedicated to 

putting the ‘green’ in Greensburg." 

For more information on the city of Greensburg’s rebuilding efforts, please visit 

http://www.greensburgks.org/ 

Invest In America 

Foreign direct investment plays a major role in the U.S. economy, both as a key 

driver of the economy and as an important source of innovation, exports and jobs. 

Invest in America is the primary U.S. government mechanism to manage foreign 

direct investment promotion. Efforts are focused on outreach to foreign 

governments and investors and support for state government investment 

promotion efforts. Additionally, Invest in America addresses business climate 

concerns by serving as an ombudsman in Washington for the international 

investment community. 

For more information on Invest in America, visit: 

http://www.trade.gov/investamerica/

To sign up for the bimonthly Invest in America newsletter visit: 

https://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=USITATRADE_22

news for the economic development 

community because it includes new 

provisions that offer investment 

recipients more local control over 

revolving loan funds and construction 

grants. These provisions demonstrate 

how EDA is listening to, and acting 

upon, the economic development 

community's calls for improved EDA 

programs to meet the changing 

needs of the 21st century economy. 

Please monitor www.eda.gov for 

more information as this legislation 

progresses through Congress. 

Coming Soon! 

September 9-10, 2008 

EDA's Denver and Seattle regional 

offices will host the Peak Performance 

in Economic Development Conference 

at the Denver Convention Center in 

Denver, Colorado. [Website] 

September 9-11, 2008 

Cityscape USA Conference, New York 

[Website] 

October 19-22, 2008 

IEDC 2008 Annual Conference, 

Atlanta [Website] 

November 17-23, 2008 

Global Entrepreneurship Week 

[Website] 

ETA’s Workforce Innovations 

2008 

The U.S. Department of Labor, 

Employment and Training 

Administration’s flagship conference, 

Workforce Innovations 2008: Success 

Decoded will be held July 15 – 17, in 

New Orleans. Meet and network with 

thousands of leaders from workforce 

development, economic 

development, business, education, 

community-based organizations and 

philanthropy. 

Visit WorkforceInnovations.org to 

check out our 125 Learning Labs and 

7 Super Sessions, organized by 

session; audience interest topic; and 

theme. There's something for 

everyone at Workforce Innovations 

2008 

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Applications are due June 30, 2008. 

Guidelines and applications are available at: 

http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/PreserveAmerica/index.htm 

Preserve America Grant Grogram Applications Now Available 

The Preserve America matching grant program provides funding to support 

preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education and historic preservation 

planning. Eligible applicants include designated Preserve America communities and 

neighborhoods, state historic preservation offices, tribal historic preservation 

offices, and certified local governments in the process of applying for Preserve 

America community designations. 

Applications are due June 30, 2008. 

Guidelines and applications are available at: 

http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/PreserveAmerica/index.htm

 

 

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file://H:\EDA\newsletter\eda_june 16.html 6/17/2008