Carroll County Board of Commissioners President Julia Gouge testified  before the House Financial Services Committee regarding the “Perspectives on the Livable Communities Act” (H.R. 4690) on September 23rd.  If passed, the legislation would establish the Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities; a partnership between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban development, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency. All three federal agencies would work collaboratively to coordinate and grant funding to sustainable development projects related to housing, transportation, and land use.  The legislation would provide an estimated $4 billion through  grants over the course of four years. Commissioner Gouge, who testified on behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo), expressed  that funding for federal grant opportunities, such as those outlined in HR 4690, should be made available to county governments as many do not have the financial resources to implement sustainable development projects.

 To see Commissioner Gouge testify click here and click “view archived webcast.”

 As MACo reported in June, Commissioner Gouge also testified before the Senate Banking Committee on Senate bill S.1618, the Livable Communities Act.