(Washington, DC) Mayor Adrian M. Fenty on Tuesday pledged to work together with the governors and congressional leadership of Maryland and Virginia to build a more green, sustainable and globally competitive regional economy at the unveiling of the Chesapeake Crescent Initiative. The initiative creates a public/private partnership to shape the Chesapeake Crescent area into a leader in the field of combining environmental and economic development.
"Together we make up one of the most dynamic regions in the country, if not the world," Fenty said. "So it is important that we work together on issues that transcend our jurisdictional boundaries to build a more green economy, a more efficient transportation system, encourage workforce housing and better job opportunities."
Fenty joined Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-DC, and Rep. Tom Davis, R-VA, at the US Capitol.
The Crescent extends from the northeast corner of Maryland to Hampton Roads in Virginia, along the I-95 corridor. With about 10 million residents, the Crescent rivals Beijing, Paris and Bangkok.
The initiative was founded by Herb Miller and George Vradenburg, a pair of local businessmen and philanthropists. The initiative is aimed at addressing the challenges of the 21st century for clean energy, environmental planning, harnessing intellectual and entrepreneurial assets, efficient transportation, and the creation of workforce housing. This requires a political collaborative by the leaders at all levels of government—local, state and federal—supported by the private-sector entrepreneurial talent of the region.
