Rebuilding and Renewing America: Infrastructure Choices in the Great Lakes Megaregion / An America 2050 Forum (Morning Session)

Rebuilding and Renewing America: Infrastructure Choices in the Great Lakes Megaregion / An America 2050 Forum (Morning Session)
(Photo by Michael Prischman) MPC/file
Rebuilding and Renewing America: Infrastructure Choices in the Great Lakes Megaregion / An America 2050 Forum (Morning Session)
(Photo by Michael Prischman) MPC/file

Rebuilding and Renewing America: Infrastructure Choices in the Great Lakes Megaregion / An America 2050 Forum (Morning Session)

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Freight congestion, aging bridges, insufficient mass transit, brownouts, soaring energy costs, flooding, and polluted waters – all news in recent years, and all partially the results of continued strain on our nation’s infrastructure. At the same time, the need for an economic stimulus is greater than ever. The presidential election in November 2008 gives us a fresh opportunity to set a new agenda for infrastructure investment in the Great Lakes megaregion to revive the flagging economy and to compete globally.

During this all-day symposium, Chicago’s Metropolitan Planning Council and New York’s Regional work to identify and prioritize strategic investments in transportation, water, and energy to be included in a national infrastructure plan, authorization of a new surface transportation bill, pending climate change legislation, and implementation of the Great Lakes Compact.

This recording includes several indiviudal speakers and a panel discussion recorded as part of the symposium’s morning session:

The National Context for Infrastructure Investment
  *MarySue Barrett, President, Metropolitan Planning Council
   *Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association


A Business Perspective on Infrastructure Investment
*Anne Pramaggiore, Executive VP of Customer Operations, 
   Regulatory and External Affairs, ComEd.


Featured Speakers
*U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.)
   *Hon. Peter Gordon MacKay, Canadian Minister of National 
   Defense and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway

Plenary Panel: Meeting Great Lakes Megaregion Needs in a National Infrastructure Plan
* U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.)
   * U.S. Representative Thomas Petri (R-Wis.)
   * Moderator: John McCarron, lecturer, Medill School of Journalism

Also recorded as part of this symposium:

* Concurrent Roundtables on Cross-Border Infrastructure Challenges in the Great Lakes Megaregion: Water


* Concurrent Roundtables on Cross-Border Infrastructure Challenges in the Great Lakes Megaregion: Energy

Concurrent Roundtables on Cross-Border Infrastructure Challenges in the Great Lakes Megaregion: Transportation

* Rebuilding & Renewing America: MPOs in the Great Lakes Megaregion

* Rebuilding and Renewing America: Report out from the Roundtables and Closing Remarks

Recorded Monday, November 17, 2008 at Hyatt Regency Chicago.