Damien Newton
Recent Posts
With Los Angeles as Inspiration, San Diego Enviros Call for 50/10 Plan
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Environmentalists from San Diego are echoing the rhetoric of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in the battle to expand the local transit network and reduce funding for highway expansion. Enter the newly branded, “50-10” plan. Los Angeles’ 30/10 advocates can eat their hearts out. Brought to you by the Save our Forest and Ranchlands (SOFAR) […]
Alongside LaHood in L.A., Boxer Talks Timing for the Next Transport Bill
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Senate environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA), at podium, with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at her right, joined Metro bus repair staff and transit officials on Friday. (Photo: LA Streetsblog via Flickr) Friday was billed as a day to discuss the next long-term federal transportation legislation, but the day turned in to a stirring defense […]
Boxer, LaHood Coming to L.A. to Discuss Federal Transportation Bill
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As transportation reformers continue to wait for the Senate to join the House in offering a new federal transportation bill, Senate environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will hold a town-hall meeting at the headquarters of L.A.’s Metro transit authority on Friday, February 19. Boxer and LaHood get on the […]
Senate Requires Environmental Approval For Stimulus Projects
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NEPA oversight should prevent the Garden State Parkway from being widened using stimulus funds. The final draft of the Senate’s economic recovery bill will require all projects funded by the stimulus to have approval under the National Environmental Protection Act, or NEPA. Sponsored by Barbara Boxer, the NEPA amendment (full text after the jump) was […]
Bicycles (Sort of) Banned From the Democratic Convention
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This is a threat to Barack Obama’s security? You can just see the planning meeting for what organizers are calling the "greenest" national political convention ever. Special perks for hybrids? Check. Biofuel powered buses? Check. Solar powered green area? Check. Bike racks? Nope. Sorry, the Secret Service says they’re too dangerous. The Colorado Independent reports […]
Obama’s National Transportation Plan Includes Bicycling & Walking
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Democratic front runner Barack Obama just released a campaign "Fact Sheet" entitled, "Strengthening America’s Transportation Infrastructure" (download it). While Hillary Clinton has put forward some outstanding and heavily transit-oriented plans of her own, Obama appears to be the first major party presidential candidate to outline a national transportation platform that explicitly seeks to "create policies […]
Would Dems’ Pledge for “Change” Bring Transportation Reform?
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Hillary Clinton ad now airing in Southern California This is part two of a two-part series on where candidates for president stand on transportation issues, authored by Streetsblog Los Angeles correspondent Damien Newton. Damien currently runs the blog Street Heat, which is soon to become Streetsblog L.A., our first foray into foreign territory. Damien was […]