News Release
FOR RELEASE - May 15, 2017
Contact: Aaron Ellis, Public Affairs Director, aellis@aapa-ports.org
703-684-5700
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
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In conjunction with Infrastructure Week (May 15-19), the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) … the unified and recognized voice of America’s seaports … and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) … the nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing America’s highway and transportation departments … have coordinated with Congressional PORTS Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) to conduct a panel briefing on Wednesday, May 17, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Room 2253 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
The panel briefing is to discuss an array of freight transportation issues, chief among them how provisions under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act are being implemented.
The FAST Act was the first long-term surface transportation legislation to authorize funds for freight mobility, providing $11 billion in dedicated freight funds. In December 2016, AAPA and AASHTO released the State of Freight II Report to showcase the growing number of state freight programs which are mandated under the FAST Act.
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Titled “By Road, Rail and Sea: Building a 21st Century Multi-modal Freight Network,” the May 17 panel briefing will be moderated by Port Everglades CEO Steve Cernak, who is also AAPA’s chairman of the board-elect, and will feature presentations from Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Dr. Shawn Wilson, Port of Port Arthur (Tex.) Deputy Port Director Larry Kelley, BNSF Railway Chief Legal Officer Roger Nober, and American Trucking Associations First Vice-Chairman David Manning. In addition to FAST Act implementation for road improvements, panelists will cover other aspects of multi-modal freight infrastructure issues, ranging from enhancing rail access to dredging projects to accommodate larger ocean-going ships.
The briefing can be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/AASHTOspeaks/.
| WHO: | Hosts are the American Association of Port Authorities and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Moderator is Steve Cernak, CEO of the Port Everglades and AAPA chairman of the board-elect. Presentations by Congressional PORTS Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) and Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA); Dr. Shawn Wilson, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development; Larry Kelley, deputy port director of the Port of Port Arthur, Texas; Roger Nober, chief legal officer for BNSF Railway; and David Manning, first vice-chairman of the American Trucking Associations. |
| WHAT: |
Panel briefing to discuss freight-related issues, focusing on how provisions under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act are being implemented. |
| WHEN: |
Wednesday, May 17, from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. |
| WHERE: | Room 2253 of the Rayburn House Office Building, 45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515 |
| MEDIA: | Professional journalists encouraged to participate by calling or emailing Aaron Ellis at (703) 706-4714 or aellis@aapa-ports.org by Tuesday morning, May 16. |
About AAPA
Founded in 1912, AAPA today represents 130 of the leading seaport authorities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and more than 200 sustaining and associate members, firms and individuals with an interest in seaports. According to IHS World Trade Service, combined international sea trade moving through Western Hemisphere ports in 2014 totaled 3.48 billion metric tons in volume and US$3.75 trillion in value. Of that total, ports in Central and South America handled 1.68 billion metric tons of cargo valued at US$1.36 trillion, while North American ports handled 1.79 billion metric tons of goods, valued at US$2.39 trillion. To meet the growing demand for trade, the AAPA and its members are committed to keeping seaports navigable, secure and sustainable. For more information, visit www.aapa-ports.org.
