IBM has officially launched its Smarter Cities Challenge, a competitive grant program that will award $50 million in technology and services to 100 municipalities worldwide. IBM experts will also provide city leaders with recommendations on smart growth and streamlined service delivery. The program represents the company’s largest philanthropic investment to date. According to the company, [...]
According to an announcement by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, the state has cleared an important hurdle in getting federal approval for offshore wind power generation off its coast. Maryland follows Delaware as the only states to have planning recommendations accepted by the federal government.
In an effort to help states build and maintain a workforce tooled to work in a clean energy economy, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices has released a new issue brief. Higher education systems, training programs and private industry will have to work in tandem to develop a clean energy workforce, the brief [...]
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has saved over $2 million during the initial cycle its Supplemental Drug Rebate Program. Along with the Medicaid Retrospective Drug Utilization Review, North Carolina expects to save more than $90 million annually using a system managed by Falls Church-based CSC.
Code for America has announced its inaugural class of technologists meant to aid city governments across the nation with open-source, off-the-shelf solutions to save money and improve services. According to CfA, these fellows will begin their service-year in San Francisco before getting their assignments to the 2011 Code for America cities, including Philadelphia, PA; Boston, [...]
Beyond the well covered national elections there are many state and local seats including 37 Governorships up for grabs. Do you have a story about your polling place? Want to sound off? Leave a note here.
According to a statement issued by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, the state capitol building will utilize an open-loop geothermal system to save nearly $100,000 in heating and cooling costs. The $6 million project will be financed in part by a Department of Energy grant and Chevron.
The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC) has released the details of the plan for passenger rail improvements for an 11 state area in the region. The area which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin has received more than $2.6 billion in federal funding. Each state applied [...]
Four mayors were chosen as 2010-2011 fellows for the Urban Land Institute Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership in land use. The mayors of Charlotte, Detroit, Houston and Sacramento were all noted as leaders in the field of land use by cities. Each of the four mayors will be leading teams chosen from their cities [...]
California’s Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) has opened for enrollment and coverage is available immediately. The PCIP is one of the first major provisions of national health care reform to take effect and is designed to bridge the gap between now and 2014, when insurers will no longer be allowed to decline health coverage or [...]
