Flood protection and transportation again top the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s policy agenda of highest priority issues to take to Washington D.C. April 5-9. This year, two other issues—economic development in the clean technology industry and extending health care coverage for low income children—are at the top of the list for the region’s lobbying delegation.

Departing on Saturday, April 5, the Sacramento Metro Chamber will lead a group of more than 350 business and community leaders from the Sacramento region to Washington, D.C. for its 38th consecutive Capitol-to-Capitol Trip to lobby elected representatives and government officials on issues vital to the Sacramento region. The trip remains the largest chamber of commerce lobbying trip of its kind in the nation.

“The Cap-to-Cap Trip is a perfect example of regional cooperation at its best,” said Robert Dugan, 2008 Cap-to-Cap Trip Chair and head of Legislative Affairs for Granite Construction. “Cap-to-Cap offers a unique platform for business leaders and elected officials—representing local, regional and federal jurisdictions—to amplify attention toward regional issues and for common objectives.”

In 2006, Metro Chamber board chair Frank Washington established flood protection as the Metro Chamber’s No. 1 policy priority and it remains so today. Washington declared, “We cannot let our greatest attention come only after a catastrophe.” The Metro Chamber believes that the risk of major flooding is the greatest threat to the continued prosperity of the Sacramento region. The Cap-to-Cap Water Resources and Flood Protection Team, led by Roy Brewer, Metro Chamber Flood Protection Task Force chair and attorney with Brewer Lofgren, will urge federal representatives to secure real and immediate funding to provide 200-year flood protection.

The Cap-to-Cap Transportation Team will seek appropriations funding for a set of high priority regional projects, and full funding of federal highway and transit programs as authorized under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act (SAFETEA-LU). The Metro Chamber envisions a transportation plan that balances public safety and interstate commerce with regional mobility and an elevated quality of life.

The focus of the Cap-to-Cap Clean Energy Technology Team is directly in line with a regional economic development strategy aimed at building the Sacramento region’s clean technology industries. Interest in clean energy is fueled by the Metro Chamber’s mission of fostering regional prosperity through business and economic development, and by our collective interest among partner organizations like SARTA, SACTO and Partnership for Prosperity in contributing to the national effort of reducing our reliance on foreign oil while supporting the protection of our environment.

As a fourth priority this year, the Metro Chamber will be calling on Congress again this year to enable states to continue to cover children currently enrolled in SCHIP.

SUMMARY OF 2008 CAP-TO-CAP PRIORITY ISSUES
The following four issues have been identified as the top priorities for the 2008 Metro Chamber Cap-to-Cap Trip by both the volunteer leadership of Cap-to-Cap and the Metro Chamber Board of Directors

Flood Protection: Secure immediate funding to provide 200-year flood protection for our region and advocate for streamlining regulatory barriers which are impediments for the region’s capacity to obtain this protection, while protecting the regions water supplies, water quality and environmental resources.

Sacramento is more vulnerable to a flood disaster than any other metropolitan area in the nation, and the Metro Chamber believes that the risk of major flooding is the greatest threat to the continued prosperity of the entire region. The Cap-to-Cap Flood Protection Team and Water Resources Teams will encourage our federal representatives to fully fund the region’s flood protection projects such as the Folsom Dam Outlet Modifications, the South Sacramento County Streams Group Project, the American River Common Features Project, the Folsom Dam Bridge Component, the Natomas Phase I Reimbursement, and the Sacramento River Bank Protection Project. The Team will also encourage federal agencies to streamline regulatory barriers that are an impediment to quick and successful implementation of flood protection. Additionally, the teams will advocate for funding for projects that improve regional water supply, water quality and environmental stewardship.

Transportation: Advocate for balanced transportation solutions that improve the region’s connectivity.

The Metro Chamber envisions a transportation plan that balances public safety and interstate commerce with regional mobility and an elevated quality of life. In an era of constrained budgets, the Cap-to-Cap delegation recognizes the need to selectively pursue a defined set of regional priorities, these projects will be included in the effort to reauthorize SAFETEA-LU and will include funding priorities for regional federal highway projects and intermodal rail track relocation.

The Cap-to-Cap Transportation Team will advocate for a series of projects that will enhance corridor mobility throughout the region and allow for more efficient goods movement. The Team will also push forward transit projects that significantly enhance and improve ridership within and throughout the region.

Economic Development – Clean/Green Technology: Ensure the Sacramento region accesses the capital it needs to emerge as the state’s clean and green energy technology leader.

With a regionwide economic development strategic emphasis on business retention, expansion and attraction in the clean energy technology sector, for the first time the Metro Chamber organized the Cap-to-Cap Clean/Green Technology Team to advocate for federal policies that will enhance the region’s substantial and rapidly growing Clean/Green Technology sector. With more than 90 clean energy technology companies in the region, the Team will advocate for access to capital and market development programs. The Team will seek full funding of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program contained in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The Team will also seek extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit and for solar and renewable energy tax credits which were not included in the Renewable Fuels, Consumer Protection, and Energy Act of 2007. The Metro Chamber will advocate research and development (R&D) tax credits permanent extension as it is fundamental to business innovation.

State Children’s Insurance Program (SCHIP): Extend health care coverage to low-income children.

The Metro Chamber’s Cap-to-Cap Health Care Team will call on Congress to reauthorize SCHIP when its authorization expires in 2009. This program gives states the option to extend health care coverage to low-income children who do not qualify for Medicaid because their family income is too high. SCHIP provides vital coverage to more than six million children in the United States. The Team will seek to reverse the CMS administrative directive that restricts state flexibility in creating state-specific programs tailored to individual state needs. The Team will also seek $60 billion in new SCHIP funding over five years to empower states to continue to cover children currently enrolled in SCHIP and to enroll eligible, uninsured children in SCHIP and Medicaid.