Yesterday, President Obama introduced his bold plan to protect our kids’ health and begin to slow the effects of climate change so we leave a cleaner, more stable environment for future generations. I'm pleased to say that at DOT, we have been working hard to reduce carbon emissions from transportation and lessen transportation's reliance on oil.
From roadways and aviation to rail, transit, and maritime, that effort has been across all modes and ongoing.
Earlier this month, for example, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) Acting Administrator Craig Middlebrook attended the sixth Green Marine annual Green Tech Conference. Acting Administrator Middlebrook came home with something extra in his suitcase: certification of the SLSDC's environmental stewardship.
Tukwila Station construction and mudslide mitigation underway
One of the highlights of my four and a half years as Transportation Secretary has been the progress we've made speeding up intercity passenger rail. Americans are riding the rails in record numbers, and thanks to President Obama's vision for high-speed rail, DOT is working hard to ensure they can ride at higher speeds.
And yesterday, Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo helped celebrate another milestone in that effort, the groundbreaking of a new passenger rail station in Tukwila, Washington.
This morning, the National Freight Advisory Committee (NFAC) kicked off its first meeting, and everyone at DOT is excited to see this important effort move forward. After all, our ability to move freight plays an important role in our ability to grow the American economy. A healthy economy requires a transportation network that is always improving the way it circulates freight.
About 48 million tons of freight are transported across America each day, and every little improvement to our freight system can make a tremendous economic difference. That adds up to a daily value of $46 billion worth of new refrigerators, cars, food, raw materials, and machinery bound for factories, markets, and consumers.
One of the most important components of a healthy economy is modern port infrastructure to feed our maritime transportation system. By investing in our waterways, we create jobs, improve economic competitiveness, and build prosperity over the long term.
Today at the Rhode Island Ports Showcase in Providence, Acting Maritime Administrator, Paul ‘Chip’ Jaenichen spoke about DOT’s commitment to making such investments.
Rep. Jim Langevin (front), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Acting Maritime Administrator Paul 'Chip' Jaenichen, and ProvPort Chief Operating Officer Bruce Waterson
Preventable injuries, including crashes and other vehicle related incidents, are the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. In fact, around the world, a child dies from a preventable injury every 30 seconds. With safety as our number one priority at DOT, we are working hard every day to reduce the number of injuries in and around cars and on our roadways.
Fortunately, we have terrific safety partners to help us in this mission. And last week, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland and Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez helped one of those partners, Safe Kids, celebrate its 25th anniversary.
The folks at Safe Kids understand that many preventable injuries can be avoided through good education and smart planning.
As the weather gets cooler and the leaves on the trees change color, many Americans--including millions of college students around the country--start to think about booking their holiday travel.