Buttigieg praises West for green efforts

COEUR d’ALENE — Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg outlined how climate change is affecting the nation’s transportation infrastructure in his presentation during the final day of the Western Governors' Association annual meeting.

“Climate change is real, climate change is here,” the former presidential candidate said Thursday morning in a short speech at The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

He said the country is seeing droughts longer than the Dust Bowl, devastating floods in Yellowstone National Park, mudslides in Colorado and unprecedented triple-digit temperatures in Portland, Ore.

All of these have washed out roads, shut down railroads and forced the suspension of transit services, he said.

Cooperation between the federal government and states is critical for safety and security of the country, he said.

“Fortunately, we're seeing great leadership and great unity from the governors here and from your states,” Buttigieg said.

He praised the West for its green efforts.

He said seven of the top states with electric vehicle ownership are in the West.

And recently, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming united to create an electric vehicle charging network.

“We are thrilled to be your partners, building a charging network that powers the next generation of American travel,” he said, adding that the administration of President Joe Biden is “proud to work alongside you to protect infrastructure against the climate threats that are already upon us.”

Buttigieg credited the West with being deeply connected to traditions of transportation, going back to horse-drawn carriages on the Oregon Trail.

“It was in Utah on May 10, 1869, that the golden spike was driven into the ground, which I believe not only unified our rail networks as a country, but in many ways, unified our American economy,” he said. “And as we look to the future of American transportation, especially in this stage of profound change, it is very helpful to bear that history in mind.”

Buttigieg said the country is in a moment of profound change, in part because of the shockwaves from COVID-19.

The country’s transportation system has never faced greater disruptions, but from those has come creative solutions, he said.

“Those challenges, those opportunities are going to shape all of our shared transportation goals that you as leaders are working on every day — safety, economic strength, equity, innovation.”

The Democrat said there’s no doubt the Biden administration has differences with Western governors on many important issues and policies, but they can and must work together to meet the challenges of climate change.

“We have a real opportunity to make very good progress together in areas where we find common ground,” he said. “The work that you're already doing on climate and resilience is, I think, a model of cooperation, a model whose success will be measured in lives saved, homes protected, roads and bridges and rail lines kept open and jobs created as well.”

The three-day WGA annual meeting wrapped up Thursday.