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.

Washington D.C. - On May 9th, America 2050 convened leaders in the business, civic, labor and philanthropic communities with members of Congress and the Governor of Pennsylvania to address the need for a 21st century infrastructure investment plan to rebuild and renew the nation's aging infrastructure and respond to the challenges of the 21st century. 

The event featured discussions on the topics of water, energy and transportation infrastructure and keynote addresses by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Governor Ed Rendell, Judith Rodin, president of The Rockefeller Foundation, and Tom Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

Opening remarks and morning plenary featured remarks by Philippa Strum, Robert Yaro, Terence O'Sullivan, Gov. Rendell, and Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Rosa DeLauro, Tom Petri and Christopher Shays.

Watch the opening remarks and morning plenary panel.

Watch Judith Rodin's keynote address. 

Watch Tom Donohue's keynote address.

The Energy Roundtable featured Bob Baugh, Daniel Braun, Mark S. Dodson, Michael Exchart, Joseph P. Oates, and was moderated by Richard T. Thigpen. 

Watch the energy roundtable.

 

The Water Roundtable featured Steve Allbee, Sally Collins, Betsy Otto, Kevin L. Shafer and was moderated by Albert Appleton.

Watch the water roundtable.

Closing Plenary panel featured Jonathan Rose, Armando Carbonell, Bob Baugh, Al Appleton, and Mort Downey.

Watch the closing plenary panel. 

Over 130 participants gathered for the day-long event at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Division of United States Studies.  For additional information on the event, click here.

Download a copy of the briefing book.

View a slideshow of the event on Flickr.

Read the proposed legislation, H.R. 5976, to create a U.S. Commision on Rebuilding America for the 21st Century

 

Photos: Carol Powers

Washington D.C. - The transportation roundtable at the May 9th infrastructure forum, Rebuilding and Renewing America: Toward a 21st Century Infrastructure Investment Plan, was broadcast on C-SPAN.  Panelists included: MarySue Barrett, President, Metropolitan Planning Council of Chicago, Rob Puentes, Fellow, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, Dr. T. Peter Ruane, president and CEO, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Paul Weyrich, Chairman and CEO, Free Congress Foundation, and Commissioner, National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, and Mariia Zimmerman, Vice President for Policy, Reconnecting America.  The panel was moderated by Mortimer Downey, Chairman, PB Consult.

Watch the transportation roundtable on C-SPAN.

Pictured (L-R) are : Rob Puentes, Pete Ruane, Mariia Zimmerman, MarySue Barrett, Mort Downey

Two bills introduced last week in the House of Representatives would authorize increased funding for Amtrak's capital and operating expenses and create new sources of funding for developing high-speed rail corridors in the United States. The first bill, H.R. 6003, the "Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008" is the companion bill to the Lott-Lautenberg Amtrak bill passed in the Senate last October. It authorizes $14.4 billion for Amtrak over the next five years and represents the first multi-year authorization for Amtrak since the "Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997." The other bill, H.R. 6004, "The Rail Infrastructure Development and Expansion Act for the 21st Century" or "Ride-21", authorizes $12 billion of tax-credit bonds and $12 billion of tax-exempt bonds for new high-speed rail corridors over the next 10 years. This legislation will be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and represents a new source of funding for rail in the country, an important first step toward finding rail funding beyond the annual appropriations process.

Read the text of H.R. 6003

Read the text of H.R. 6004

Photo: Vandy607 on Flickr

Residents of metropolitan regions emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions per person than people who live in non-metro areas, according to a report written by the Brookings Institution and co-released today by Regional Plan Association and America 2050.

The academic researchers also found that regions with a more-compact geographic footprint and rail transit offer a more energy and carbon efficient lifestyle than more sprawling, automobile-dependent areas. 

The 100 largest metros emit only 56 percent of the U.S. transportation and residential carbon emissions while housing 65 percent of the nation's population and producing 76 percent of the nation's economic output.

The New York metropolitan region, including New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Long Island, has the smallest per capita transportation emissions in the country but ranks higher in carbon emissions from its residential buildings. The report underscores the tremendous benefit to the environment of the New York region's extensive public transit network and the need to continue to invest in these systems as the region faces the projected growth of 3 million additional residents by the year 2030.

Read the Brookings report.

Read the carbon profiles for the top 100 metropolitan regions in the United States.

Read the press release.