The Woodrow Wilson School's Policy Research Institute for the Region will host a public conference titled, "Sustainability and the Obama Stimulus Agenda: Engaging and Connecting with Government" on Friday, September 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Robertson Hall on the Princeton University campus.

Issues of sustainability and the environment are being recognized and addressed globally and nationally – but, state and local actions will more than likely provide many of the solutions to these problems. Several aspects of President Obama’s stimulus package are oriented in this direction. The creation of “green” jobs including weather-proofing thousands of buildings, installing high-tech meters to monitor and reduce power use, and grants to state and local governments to build infrastructure projects are a key focus of the stimulus package.

This event will convene academic scholars, government officials, and representatives from the business and non-profit communities to address, through panel discussions, key issues surrounding local government, sustainability and related employment in the tri-state New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania regions.

Welcoming remarks will be given by Richard Keevey, Director of the Policy Research Institute for the Region and Steven Cohen, Executive Director of the Earth Institute and Director of the M.P.A. Program in Environmental Science & Policy at the School of International & Public Affairs at Columbia University.

Keynote speaker, former New Jersey Governor James Florio, will discuss how state and local governments can connect to the Obama agenda and achieve the national goals in our region.

The Policy Research Institute for the Region was established to bring together policy makers in the local New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania region with researchers and students from the University and other institutes to address pressing policy issues and new, focused research.

For more information and to register please visit the Policy Research Institute for the Region’s website.