Preliminary Agenda

Federal Policy & Program Briefing
October 19–20, 2008

Click here to download the program brochure and registration form

DAY 1: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

Federal Policy and Planning for Communities of Lasting Value
1:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.   
Hear about opportunities to promote a planning for community development and economic prosperity from Capitol Hill insiders, veterans of local government, policy experts, and APA leaders.

Election 2008: Outlook, Analysis, and a New Agenda
1:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m.   
The next year will see a new president and a new Congress. What can planners expect from changes in Washington? Leading political commentators will identify trends and hot topics for the 111th Congress and discuss the impact of state elections on planning.

Concurrent Sessions
2:45 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

The Mortgage Crisis and Impacts on Federal Policy for Housing and Community Development
How will the mortgage crisis impact your work on housing and community development? Learn about new federal legislation that includes targeted funding for vacant and abandoned properties. Find out the outlook for national affordable housing trust fund. Take a closer look at the economic trends affecting housing policy and planning.

New Directions for Public Health and Food Policy
How will the newly enacted Farm Bill affect your community? Hear how the bill addresses rural development and conservation. Learn how the government is moving from industrial crop subsidies to promotion of local, sustainable food systems. Find out about new federal policies addressing public health issues from parks and playgrounds to the transportation bill.

Trends in State Legislation and Policy
4:15 p.m.–5:30 p.m.   
Get an update on what states around the country are doing to combat climate change and move toward energy independence. Learn how states are dealing with budget shortfalls and declining tax revenues. Hear the latest on property fairness ballot measures and legislation.

Opening Reception
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

DAY 2: MONDAY, OCTOBER 20

National Design Professionals Infrastructure Summit
Can't attend the full conference? Register just for the National Design Professionals Infrastructure Summit with our special Monday-only registration.

Investing in America's Communities: Rebuilding the Nation's Vital Infrastructure
8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.    
Infrastructure is important to the work of planners, architects, landscape architects, and engineers. Representatives of each of those professions will discuss the state of the nation's infrastructure and outline a new vision for federal infrastructure policy and investment. Get ideas for engaging federal policymakers and national commissions on infrastructure issues and get an insider's perspective on infrastructure policy in the new Congress and the next administration.

Climate Change and Impacts on Infrastructure Policy
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.  
How will climate change affect the nation's infrastructure? Get federal information and data that will help you and the leaders of your community make infrastructure decisions with climate change in mind. Plus, learn about the role of federal cap and trade legislation on infrastructure policy.

Concurrent Sessions
10:45 a.m. – Noon        

Reinventing Federal Transportation Policy with the Reauthorization of SAFETEA-LU
The next Congress will reauthorize the nation's surface transportation law, SAFETEA-LU. How will this affect the work of planners, architects, landscape architects, and engineers? Discuss a post-interstate vision for transportation policy and infrastructure, touching on transit and the built environment, privatization trends, congestion pricing, the future of MPOs, and complete streets.

Promoting Green Buildings and Green Communities
Green building is all the rage today, but how can you make it a practical reality in your community? Learn about tax policies to promote green building design and construction and indicators to measure green communities and infrastructure. Hear about how federal facilities are going green and learn the green standards for federal housing and community development programs.

Keynote Luncheon with U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer
Noon–1:30 p.m.

Financing New Infrastructure Investment and Rewarding Performance
1:45 p.m.–3:00 p.m.   
How can we pay for much-needed new infrastructure and infrastructure improvements? Review funding proposals from the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. Hear about funding shortfalls and problems with federal infrastructure trust funds, loan funds, grants, and other aid. Learn about policy options for moving toward a performance-based approach to investment, including legislation to create a national infrastructure bank.

Concurrent Sessions
3:15 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

Advancing Solutions for Energy and Technology Infrastructure
Will the 111th Congress pass a new energy bill? Find out how this and other energy legislation affect planning and design of energy infrastructure. Learn the possible expansion of technology infrastructure, including community wireless and broadband networks. Get tips for dealing with telecommunications infrastructure.

Addressing Water Infrastructure and Policy: Too Much, Too Little, Too Polluted
What's ahead for the Clean Water Act? And what will that mean for water in your community. Hear about proposals for new federal water infrastructure funding and the status of federal water revolving loan funds. Hear ideas for dealing with critical water infrastructure, prioritizing investment in municipal water infrastructure, and public policies for planning and designing in water constrained areas.

Forum on Metropolitan Equity and Competitiveness
4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.   
Leaders from local governments, regional organizations, Capitol Hill, foundations, and research institutes discuss a metropolitan policy agenda. Hear about restructuring and improving metropolitan and regional institutions, funding for metropolitan investment priorities, maintaining infrastructure for economic competitiveness, meeting future economic and demographic challenges, and new policy initiatives for metropolitan areas and infrastructure.