November 19, 2008 APA Launches Rebuilding America CampaignInfrastructure Investment Task Force to Lead Effort, Develop Blueprint for Action WASHINGTON, DC —With the nation facing a potential infrastructure disaster, the American Planning Association (APA) has launched Rebuilding America, a special campaign to evaluate the country's expanding infrastructure needs for the 21st century and to create a blueprint for action. "The U.S. is facing a looming crisis in terms of the physical infrastructure that supports the country's economy and everyday lives of Americans," said APA Executive Director Paul Farmer, FAICP. "From inadequate water infrastructure to well-documented transportation failures, the current situation will only worsen given the impacts of climate change and growth in population during the next half century." The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates the investment needed to repair and rebuild the country's infrastructure at $1.6 trillion. APA's campaign is being led by a National Infrastructure Investment Task Force co-chaired by APA President Robert Hunter, FAICP; APA President-Elect Bruce Knight, FAICP; and APA Immediate Past President David Siegel, FAICP. As part of the campaign, a National Design Professionals Infrastructure Summit was held in Washington, D.C., on October 20, in partnership with the American Institute of Architects and the American Society of Landscape Architects. The summit brought together planners, architects, and landscape architects, to begin APA's discussion about the state of the nation's infrastructure and hear from various experts about options for federal policy and investment. Speakers at the day-long meeting included U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.). The task force is now conducting a series of regional field hearings throughout the U.S. to receive comments from regional leaders, planners, academics, allied professionals, engaged citizens, and others about major regional infrastructure issues and needs. Preliminary findings from the field hearings will be compiled into a report that will be released at APA's National Planning Conference in Minneapolis April 25-29, 2009. Rebuilding America is taking a comprehensive approach and looking at the country's infrastructure needs in terms of six sub-categories: transportation, waste and water; energy; technology and telecommunications; public facilities; and green infrastructure. Other components of Rebuilding America include creating a new vision to guide infrastructure planning and development including changes in policies, practices, and funding at the local, state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.planning.org/policy/infrastructure. ContactsRichard Lukas, American Planning Association, 202-349-1010; rlukas@planning.org | ||
