Report on
Megaregions Forums
Petra Todorovich
Director, America 2050
National Leadership Meeting
October 19, 2009
Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
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Megaregion Priorities:
Building Blocks of a National Plan
•High-speed rail
•Seaports,
airports, and
goods
movement
•Energy
transmission
and generation
•Water
infrastructure
and protection
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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
Washington, May 9, 2008
Piedmont Atlantic: Mar 09 & Aug 09
Central Florida: May 09
Southern California: Jun 09
Texas Triangle: Sep 09
New York, April 17, 2009
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Chicago November 17, 2008
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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
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Sacramento Dec. 2 2008
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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
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Atlanta March 23, 2009
•Water supply and interstate
competition
•High-speed rail & goods
movement
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•Six-university research consortium
Charlotte August 11, 2009
•Follow-up Summit among
Mayors
•Focus on:
•HSR
•Road infrastructure
•Open space
conservation
•Organizational
structure
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Florida May 8, 2009
•Link between
Tampa and Orlando
•Moving on from
SunRail defeat
•Diversifying the
economy
•Joint advocacy for
HSR
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Los Angeles June 19
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Los Angeles June 19
•Financing infrastructure
(bonds must be backed by
revenues.)
•Water infrastructure and
resources management
•Implementing the Smart
Grid
•Sighting infrastructure
projects
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•How to get things done!
Houston, Sept. 24-25
•Building consensus on highspeed 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
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Northeast Climate and
Competitiveness Summits 2007-2008
•Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor
•Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
•State renewable portfolio standards
•NE Regional Landscape Conservation
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Business Alliance for Northeast Mobility
• Coalition of
chambers of
commerce, civic
organizations
• Focus on Amtrak
authorization and
appropriations
Reception in U.S. Capitol Apr 2008
Northeast Summit Mar 2007
• Advocacy for NE
interests in
surface
transportation bill
Union Station Press Conference Oct 2008
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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
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General principles: Water Resources
• Natural systems
approach
•Quantify benefits of
distributed, multi-benefit
solutions
•Full cost pricing
•Watershed approach to
management
Storm water management in Portland: Flickr/ La
Citta Vita
•Leg: Water Protection and
Reinvestment Act (HR 3202)
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General principles: Energy
• National grid & smart grid
technology
• Demonstration projects
• Challenge of sighting
transmission & generation
• Transportation-land useclimate change connection
• Role of cities in efficiency
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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
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The Federal Role
• Strong national vision
• Funding tied to
meeting goals and
objectives
• Reform procurement
and regulatory
processes
• Remove perverse
incentives/ break silos
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Visualize the Future
Left: Futurama at the 1939 World’s Fair;
Above: California High-speed Rail visualizations
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(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
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www.America2050.org
www.rpa.org
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