[philman_36]

Back history again...
Smart Growth The good news about high gas prices
THE LAST item on the last page of Sen. Barack Obama's "New Energy for America" plan -- build more livable and sustainable communities -- sounds like the standard feel-good political boilerplate that generally shows up in the back of policy papers. But it shouldn't be dismissed. This proposal from the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for president is part of a larger policy push to foster smart growth.

[philman_36]

Partnership for Sustainable Communities
Principles We Can Live With: The Obama Administration Promises to Support Sustainable Development
The Obama Administration is pledging to put funding behind its sustainable development promises, and huge amounts of money are involved.
Changes in formulas used to set federal funding levels could have tremendous implications. For example, by promising to promote “transportation choices” that reduce our “dependence on foreign oil,” DOT Secretary Ray LaHood is effectively promising to shift his agency’s focus away from cars and highways. In recent years, about 85% of DOT’s spending has supported highways, with only 15% going to mass transit projects.

Snip...“The people that benefit from the status quo will fight to keep it,” says Tom Murphy, senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute. “The people that will benefit from the new order aren’t clear how it will benefit them.”