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Report on Megaregions Forums. Petra Todorovich Director, America 2050 National Leadership Meeting October 19, 2009 Library of Congress Washington, D.C. Megaregion Priorities: Building Blocks of a National Plan. High-speed rail Seaports, airports, and goods movement
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Report on Megaregions Forums Petra Todorovich Director, America 2050 National Leadership Meeting October 19, 2009 Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Megaregion Priorities: Building Blocks of a National Plan • High-speed rail • Seaports, airports, and goods movement • Energy transmission and generation • Water infrastructure and protection
Megaregion Forums to Set Priorities Northeast: Feb 2007 and Mar 2008 National Launch in D.C.: May 08 Great Lakes: Nov 2008 Northern California: Dec 08 Piedmont Atlantic: Mar 09 & Aug 09 Central Florida: May 09 Southern California: Jun 09 Texas Triangle: Sep 09 Washington, May 9, 2008 New York, April 17, 2009
Chicago November 17, 2008 • Great Lakes water quality and resources management • Climate change impacts and response • High-speed rail • A economic revitalization strategy for the megaregion
Sacramento Dec. 2 2008 • California fiscal crisis • Goods movement and port development • Bay Delta water management / flooding risk • Revenue options for infrastructure finance • Jobs in the Central Valley
Atlanta March 23, 2009 • Water supply and interstate competition • High-speed rail & goods movement • Six-university research consortium
Charlotte August 11, 2009 • Follow-up Summit among Mayors • Focus on: • HSR • Road infrastructure • Open space conservation • Organizational structure
Florida May 8, 2009 • Link between Tampa and Orlando • Moving on from SunRail defeat • Diversifying the economy • Joint advocacy for HSR
Los Angeles June 19 • Financing infrastructure (bonds must be backed by revenues.) • Water infrastructure and resources management • Implementing the Smart Grid • Sighting infrastructure projects • How to get things done!
Houston, Sept. 24-25 • Building consensus on high-speed rail route • Managing growth in a state with no zoning • Next steps on regional visioning efforts • Best practices approaches in green infrastructure, food security, energy efficiency
Northeast Climate and Competitiveness Summits 2007-2008 • Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor • Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative • State renewable portfolio standards • NE Regional Landscape Conservation
Business Alliance for Northeast Mobility • Coalition of chambers of commerce, civic organizations • Focus on Amtrak authorization and appropriations • Advocacy for NE interests in surface transportation bill Reception in U.S. Capitol Apr 2008 Northeast Summit Mar 2007 Union Station Press Conference Oct 2008
General Principles: High-Speed Rail • Long-term commitment and dedicated revenue source • Will work best if integrated in regional transit • Equity impacts & role in economic development • Legislative opportunities: • Shaping DOT approach; funding in surface transp. bill
General principles: Water Resources • Natural systems approach • Quantify benefits of distributed, multi-benefit solutions • Full cost pricing • Watershed approach to management • Leg: Water Protection and Reinvestment Act (HR 3202) Storm water management in Portland: Flickr/ La Citta Vita
General principles: Energy • National grid & smart grid technology • Demonstration projects • Challenge of sighting transmission & generation • Transportation-land use-climate change connection • Role of cities in efficiency
Livable Communities • California SB 375 • Coordinate land use, transportation, climate • S. 1619 Livable Communities Act • Competitive grants for capacity building to do regional plans and TOD • Entities must work across borders • H.R 2724 National Transportation Objectives • Energy efficiency, safety, climate stability, access, economic competitiveness, public health • Sets specific targets
The Federal Role • Strong national vision • Funding tied to meeting goals and objectives • Reform procurement and regulatory processes • Remove perverse incentives/ break silos
Visualize the Future Left: Futurama at the 1939 World’s Fair; Above: California High-speed Rail visualizations (Image: NC3D)
Megaregion Break Out Discussions • Key infrastructure priorities • Most promising areas for megaregion collaboration • Next steps in each megaregion • Legislative Opportunities U.S./State
www.America2050.org www.rpa.org