INFRASTRUCTURE 2018 Moving America Forward — Land, Water and Air Spending Priorities • Financing • Deregulation A Special Report Prepared By e Washington Times Special Sections Department “We will build gleaming new roads, bridges, highways, railways, and waterways all across our land. And we will do it with American heart, and American hands, and American grit.” — President Donald Trump, Feb. 12, 2018. Infrastructure 2018: Moving America Forward — Land, Water and Air Disputes over spending, permitting dog infrastructure plan ........................................... 3 5 principles for infrastructure success ...................................................................................... 18 S.A. Miller Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts ‘Job creation, more job creation, and even more job creation’ ......................................... 3 Fixing U.S. infrastructure requires end of ‘permitting purgatory’ .................................. 19 Washington Times Special Sections Department Sen. Dan Sullivan It’s time to invest in our country’s future ................................................................................. 4 A 21st century trust fund for a modernized infrastructure ............................................... 20 Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Rep. Sam Graves Making a historic investment in public lands infrastructure ........................................... 5 Fix what we drive on to drive our economy ............................................................................ 20 Interior Secretary Ryan K. Zinke Rep. Robin Kelly Infrastructure projects to advance swiftly —and safely — Infrastructure initiatives without revenue unrealistic ........................................................ 21 under new EPA permitting rules ................................................................................................. 6 Rep. Michael E. Capuano EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt Energy infrastructure: Ensuring reliability, resiliency ........................................................ 22 Buy America is commonsense economics .............................................................................. 7 Rep. Greg Walden TMENT Scott Paul A lesson in bipartisanship: Starting small on infrastructure to go big .......................... 22 ar EP Fixing America’s infrastructure: The road forward ............................................................. 8 Rep. Rob Bishop d Sen. John Barrasso, M.D. Water infrastructure expansion requires regulatory reform ............................................ 23 To unleash American building, cut the red tape .................................................................... 8 Rep. Doug Lamborn TIONs c Sen. James Inhofe sE VIDA: Imperative for maritime commerce ............................................................................. 24 L a Smarter solutions needed to jump-start infrastructure projects .................................... 9 Thomas A. Allegretti I c Sen. Tom Carper Century-old locks and dams require urgent upgrades ....................................................... 26 sPE s A major stumbling block for energy infrastructure: Rep. Rodney Davis Activism from the bench ................................................................................................................ 10 The insolvency of inland waterways ......................................................................................... 27 Craig Stevens Howard P. “Buck” McKeon Infrastructure is not a Republican or Democratic issue — Broadband: The infrastructure challenge of our generation ............................................ 28 INGTON TIME INGTON it’s an American issue ...................................................................................................................... 12 Sen. Amy Klobuchar Rep. Bill Shuster ASH A blueprint for strategic infrastructure investment ............................................................. 28 E W 3 ways to fix permitting pitfalls ..................................................................................................... 12 h Norman Anderson T Rep. Jeff Denham y B Putting rural Americans first ........................................................................................................ 29 d It’s time for real investment in our nation’s infrastructure ................................................ 13 E Rep. Marsha Blackburn Rep. Peter DeFazio ar s EP Infrastructure needs are not limited to the ground .............................................................. 30 r Turning innovation into action: Maryland’s Traffic Relief Plan ....................................... 14 Rep. Rick Wilson T P Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan r Time to rethink how we fund highways ................................................................................... 30 PA investing heavily in infrastructure; where are federal commitments? ................... 15 EPO Dr. Robert Krol r INGTON TIME INGTON Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf L a I ASH America’s counties build infrastructure ................................................................................... 31 c Transit leaders reject funding cuts, PE Matthew Chase E W s urge Congress to increase investments in public transit .................................................... 16 h a T American Public Transportation Association | Cheryl Wetzstein Larry T. Beasley David Dadisman Patrick Crofoot SPECIAL SECTIONS MANAGER PRESIDENT AND CEO GENERAL MANAGER GRAPHICS SUPERVISOR Advertising Department: Thomas P. McDevitt Tony Hill 202-636-3062 CHAIRMAN ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, DIGITAL/DISPLAY SALES Special Sections are multipage tabloid products that run in The Washington Times daily newspaper and are posted online and in PDF form onits website. Sponsors and advertisers collaborate with The Times’ advertising and marketing departments to highlight a variety of issues and events, such as The Power of Prayer, North Korea’s Thursday • March 22 • 2018 • March Thursday Nuclear Threat, Gun Rights Policy Conference and Rolling Thunder Memorial Day Tribute to Veterans. Unless otherwise identified, Special Sections areprepared separately 2 SPECIAL SECTIONS and without involvement from the Times’ newsroom and editorial staff. Disputes over spending, permitting dog infrastructure plan BY S. A. MILLER investment of $1.5 trillion over 10 years. many projects and jobs behind,” said Larry overlooked by Washington. THE Washington TIMES “The president’s plan calls for $200 I. Willis, president of the Transportation The plan sets four goals: billion but has no clear way to pay for Trades Department of the AFL-CIO. • Stimulate $1.5 trillion of new massive infrastructure plan is it,” said Mr. Nelson. “At the same time, Mr. Trump is undaunted, convinced investment in infrastructure. hung up in Congress on age- the administration’s budget cuts critical that the appeal of rebuilding American • Shorten the permitting process to old disputes over spending infrastructure programs. We can’t cut our infrastructure will be enough to attract two years. and environmental regula- way to prosperity.” rare bipartisan support in Congress. • Target invest in rural infrastructure tions, but President Trump is He echoed criticism of the vast major- “Even though there is skepticism out such as broadband internet service hitting the road this spring to ity of Capitol Hill Democrats, who want there that such a big piece of legislation with $50 billion in block grants to drum up public support to force lawmak- $1 trillion of direct federal spending to can get done in such a short period of states. ersA to get onboard. rebuild American’s crumbing highways, time, we are expecting movement and are • Improve workforce training, Mr. Trump’s plan seeks to overhaul the bridges and airports. encouraged by the progress that’s been including expanding Pell Grant way infrastructure projects are funded and Democrats balked at Mr. Trump’s plan made so far,” said a White House official. eligibility to students pursuing approved, providing new financing options to cut regulations, including environmen- “With 11 committees of jurisdiction in both certification or credentials for to states and cutting red tape that drives up tal regulations, to streamline the Byzantine the House and Senate, the wide scope of in-demand fields. costs. But that challenged business as usual federal approval process. the president’s infrastructure initiative Mr. Trump made a pitch for bipartisan in Washington, and the proposal soon hit The president promised it would speed means that the cadence will be different support in the State of the Union address roadblocks in Congress. up approvals — that now can take a decade than with tax reform, but the process has in January: “I am asking both parties to “We can’t toll our way out of this prob- — to two years. been moving smoothly and as expected.” come together to give us the safe, fast, lem,” Sen. Bill Nelson, the ranking member The Center for American Progress, The president will travel the coun- reliable, and modern infrastructure our on the Senate Commerce, Science and a liberal Washington think tank, called try to rally support and put pressure on economy needs and our people deserve. Transportation Committee, said at recent the plan a “scam” that will be paid for by lawmakers. He will highlight desperately Together, we can reclaim our building hearing on the proposal. slashing social programs, shifting billions needed infrastructure across the country heritage. We will build gleaming