America 2050

Washington, D.C. - On May 9 America 2050 will host a national forum on infrastructure investment, titled Rebuilding and Renewing America: Toward a 21st Century Infrastructure Investment Plan.  Supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the Surdna Foundation and the Division of United States Studies at the Woodrow Wilson Center, the forum will launch a civic-led effort to develop a national infrastructure investment plan for the U.S.: a framework for federal investment and complementary actions by states, local government, and the private sector.

The forum coincides with the Bicentennial and Centennial of plans during the Thomas Jefferson (1808) and Theodore Roosevelt (1908) administrations that later influenced the development of national railways and federal-led environmental restoration and power generation projects, respectively. For more information on these historic plans, download a paper by historian Robert  Fishman here.

The day-long forum will convene members of Congress with business industry representatives and leaders in labor, philanthropy and the environmental community to discuss the components of a national infrastructure plan, with sessions on national transportation, water and energy policies. Confirmed speakers include members of congress Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), James Oberstar (D-MN), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Tom Petri (R-WI), Christopher Shays (R-CT), Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Governor Edward Rendell (D-PA).  Keynote speeches will be given by Judith Rodin, President, The Rockefeller Foundation, who will speak about the impact the philanthropic community can make in creating a 21st century infrastructure agenda, and Thomas Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce will speak on meeting the transportation and energy challenge of the 21st century.

To view the press advisory, click here.
To view the agenda, click here.
To view the briefing book, click here.

The forum is invitation only.

April 18, New York City - US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer and President of the Rockefeller Foundation Judith Rodin all addressed the deteriorating infrastructure in our nation and called for Washington to establish a vision to renew and rebuild America at Regional Plan Association's Regional Assembly, titled "Oil and Water". Held at the Waldorf=Astoria in Midtown Manhattan, over 700 civic, business, and government leaders filled the room to hear Blumenauer, Rodin, Pelosi and other national and regional leaders address the scarcity of oil and water resources. Blumenauer and Rodin both focused on the nation's over-reliance on fossil fuels and the need for incorporating renewable sources of energy to fuel our cars and buildings.  Blumenauer applauded the America 2050 initiative for thinking in bold terms about the future of our nation and suggested that meetings such as this one should be held in every congressional district.  Rodin, who chaired the Assembly, recommended that federal policies urge coordination of state and local land-use plans with transportation policy. She underscored the importance of federal transportation policy to meet the challenges of climate change, competitiveness and social equity. To the last point, she added that after all, the Civil Rights movement began with "one very brave woman on a city bus; Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, who dubbed herself the "Sewer Mayor," shared her experience of rebuilding the deteriorating water infrastructure in the City of Atlanta and highlighted the importance of partnering with the federal government to address Atlanta's water infrastructure crisis.

 

Nancy Pelosi received a standing ovation as she approached the stage for her keynote address.  She called for a national commitment to infrastructure toward the goal of "renewing and rebuilding America."  The Speaker mentioned that we must continue the tradition of so-called "disturbers" - leaders such as Secretary of Treasury Albert Gallatin under Thomas Jefferson, head of Forest Service Gifford Pinchot under President Theodore Roosevelt - who recognized the need to develop long term plans that shaped the nation's growth. To implement these long term visions, a "drumbeat" is needed calling for the need to renew and rebuild America's infrastructure.  

For transcripts and videos of the Regional Assembly, please click here. 

Pictures: Steve Ladner

Baltimore - Planning directors and staff from northeast states gathered for a two-day retreat in Baltimore on February 27-28, 2008 for the 10th Annual Northeast State Planning Leadership Retreat.  Organized by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Regional Plan Association, the event featured a series of state best practices: 1) County and Municipal Coordination; 2) Urban Revitalization and Transit-Oriented Development; and 3) Open Space and Environmental Preservation.  Participants also considered the potential for regional partnerships to tackle issues at a larger scale. 

To view presentations from the event, click below:

Reid Ewing, "Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change"

Harriet Tregoning, "Making the Land Use-Transportation-Clmiate Change Connection"

Gerrit Knaap and John Frece, "Maryland's Smart Growth Initiative"

Richard Hall, "Open Space and Environmental Preservation in Maryland"

David Kooris, "Response to Urban Revitalization & TOD Panel"

"Gas is $4 a gallon and we still have congestion" said Jim Spering, Solano County Supervisor in California recognizing that clogged roadways and reduced productivity must be addressed at a much larger scale.  More than one hundred leading transportation experts from the Bay and Sacramento corridor gathered on Thursday, April 10th, to explore the possibility of coordinating transportation plans at the megaregion scale in an attempt to attract funding for projects.

In a parallel effort, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and Imperial Valley EDC received a $225,000 grant to spearhead a study that aims to develop a megaregion framework for global competition.  The U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration awarded the grant, which will cover the two southern California counties and the Northern Baja California, Mexico region.

Click below for the articles:

'Mega-region touted for transit - TheReporter.Com

"EDCs Receive $225,000 Grant for Mega-Region Initiative - International Business Times

On April 9, 2008, Robert D. Yaro, President of Regional Plan Association and Co-Chairman of America 2050, testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.  The hearing, titled "Transportation Challenges of Metropolitan Areas", featured testimonies on the infrastructure challenges within our metro areas, specifically goods movement, infrastructure maintenance and modernization, mobility and connectivity. 

For Robert Yaro's written testimony, Click here.

For details on purpose of meeting, Click here.

To watch the hearing, Click here.

The Business Alliance for Northeast Mobility, a coalition of chambers of commerce and economic policy groups in the Northeast megaregion, met with lawmakers yesterday in the U.S. Capitol to show their support for funding Amtrak's capital needs in the Northeast Corridor and improving intercity and regional rail service. The Business Alliance, which is chaired by the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and Regional Plan Association, was joined by Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and Amtrak president and CEO Alex Kummant (above).

Continue reading "Show of Support for Amtrak Funding by Northeast Business Leaders" »

On Friday, April 18, 2008, Regional Plan Association will hold its annual Regional Assembly at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. This year's event will feature a luncheon keynote address by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who will discuss her vision for a national infrastructure investment plan.

The Assembly will take an in-depth look at energy and water and how their increasing scarcity impacts the economic growth and prosperity of the New York City metropolitan region, with lessons for national polices. Specific workshops will examine the way this growing scarcity shapes community design, changes our workforce, focuses attention on the protection of our open space, and affects regional and national transportation.

In addition to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, speakers include New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, Atlanta Mayor Shirley C. Franklin, and Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

Register today at www.rpa.org/ra2008/

Baltimore - Regional Plan Association and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy convened more than one hundred civic and business leaders in "Charm City" on February 29th to develop an action agenda to address the economic, transportation, environmental and housing challenges facing the Northeast and the nation at the 2nd Northeast Climate and Competitiveness Summit.  The Greater Baltimore Committee, Select Greater Philadelphia, The Chesapeake Crescent Initiative, National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at University of Maryland and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability were co-sponsors of the event.  
 
The Summit featured keynotes from Governor Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania (above) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer from Oregan (below).  Blumenauer spoke about the need for federal leadership in addressing national infrastructure challenges with 21st century solutions and discussed a specific proposal for creating a national infrastructure investment plan that would shape the federal role in transportation, water and energy infrastructure.  Rendell delivered the luncheon keynote and discussed the lack of transportation dollars and its  impact of our  failing infrastructure.  Rendell (right) is leading a parallel national infrastructure initiative with Gov. Schwarzenegger and Mayor Bloomberg called, "Build America's Future."  Other public officials who spoke included Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Maryland's Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and former Governor Parris Glendening.

The Summit's four roundtables - Northeast Corridor Mobility, Regional Landscapes and Climate Change, Local Government Forum on Climate Change, and Subprime Mortgage Crisis and Affordable Housing - were chaired by Jack Lettiere, Jack Lettiere Consulting, LLC and Former Commissioner of NJ DOT, Rob Pirani, Director of Environmental Programs at RPA, Armando Carbonell, Chairman, Department of Planning and Urban Form, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and Merilyn Rovira, Director of Housing and Community Development, Fannie Mae, respectively.

Continue reading "Civic and Business Leaders Convene for 2nd Northeast Summit to Address Northeast Megaregion and National Challenges " »

On March 19, SPUR, the Bay Area Council and Regional Plan Association of New York will host a public panel discussion at SPUR in San Francisco on the Northern California megaregion. Building on the work of these three organizations, there has been increasing awareness about the economic, cultural, and ecological connections across Northern California. What does this awareness mean practically? What are the pressing challenges at the megaregion scale and what are the opportunities to form political alliances and cooperate on key issues such as land use, air quality, and housing policies? Panelists will discuss policy implications and responses to this emerging geography, with time for audience questions and discussion.

Panelists include: Gabriel Metcalf, Executive Director of SPUR; Jim Wunderman, President & CEO of the Bay Area Council; Carol Whiteside, Founder of the Great Valley Center; Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder and CEO of PolicyLink; and the Honorable Christopher Cabaldon, Mayor of West Sacramento. The panel will be moderated by Robert Yaro, President of Regional Plan Association.

The event will take place March 19, 2008 from 8:30 AM - 10:30 a.m. At SPUR, 312 Sutter St. (at Grant), 2nd Floor, San Francisco.

SPUR is located close to the Powell St. BART station and several Muni lines.
The forum is open to the public, free for members and $5 for non-members.
RSVP to info@SPUR.org

Download the Brochure.