Executive Director's Report

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE HEMINGER’S REPORT TO THE
COMMISSION MEETING OF DECEMBER 16, 2009

SUMMARY OF EVENTS:

Garamendi Appointed to Transportation Committee
Washington DC, November 18

Newly elected 10th district Congressman John Garamendi has been appointed to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He will serve as the only Bay Area representative on this powerful panel that will oversee authorization of a new federal surface transportation program. I am scheduled to meet with Mr. Garamendi during my next trip to Washington on December 15th.

CARB Hearing on SB 375
Sacramento, November 19

I joined several of my colleagues on the Regional Targets Advisory Committee in presenting our final report on setting regional greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

CALCOG Meeting
San Diego, November 30

This California Councils of Government (CALCOG) Association meeting featured some lively discussion about the future of the organization in light of its recent inability to reach consensus on major legislation such as Senate Bill 375 (Steinberg) and measures to increase state transportation funding.

Bay Area Partnership
Oakland, December 1

The regular Bay Area Partnership meeting included presentations on the following MTC initiatives: programming of future federal transportation funds, updating the regional transit coordination plan, and launching the Transit Sustainability Project.

White House Jobs Forum
Washington DC, December 3

I received a last-minute invitation to attend this White House event, during which President Obama and Vice President Biden addressed about 130 attendees from both the private and public sectors on the need to foster additional job creation as the nation heads out of the worst recession since World War II. The president dropped by the infrastructure break-out session that I attended, and I was able to make a few points to him about expediting project delivery so that stimulus funding could create jobs more quickly.

IBTTA Finance Summi
Washington DC, December 13-15

I am the conference chairman for this annual finance forum sponsored by the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association. I also will be moderating a panel discussion on the uncertain prospects for authorization of a new federal surface transportation program with members of both congressional commissions and the Bipartisan Policy Center who have studied the question in recent years.

ARRA Status Report

This month’s status report for projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) shows that the region has “obligated” over 84% of these federal economic stimulus funds, while 80% of the money has been put to work creating jobs in awarded contracts.

• Bay Area ARRA Project Status | December 16, 2009 (PDF)
  
  

Map of the Month

The map of the month depicts the impact of emissions on priority development areas. According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, diesel particulate matter (DPM) at sizes of 10 microns and smaller, can be extremely harmful in its effects on public health and might also have an impact on climate change. The source of DPM is diesel engines, which vary in use from haulage trucks to industrial power plants. The map of the month shows the distribution of DPM 2.5 emissions within the Bay area. The analysis shows that priority development areas along I-880 and in eastern San Francisco experience a high volume of DPM emissions compared to development areas north and south of the Bay.

• Impact of Emissions on Priority Development Areas (PDF)

MTC Operational Statistics

The monthly report on the performance of MTC’s operating programs:

• MTC Operational Statistics (PDF)

Upcoming Events

December 17 — MTC Holiday Party, Oakland
January 11-14 — TRB Annual Meeting, Washington DC