VA, MD and DC Join Forces on Innovation and the Environment

Governor Kaine Announces Participation in Chesapeake Crescent Partnership
– States, District of Columbia, and federal government form collaborative to increase the region's global competitiveness –

WASHINGTON, DC – The Chesapeake Crescent Initiative was formally introduced today at the U.S. Capitol as heads of government from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, along with senior members of Congress, announced their commitment to work together to raise the prosperity of the region and increase its global competitiveness. The goal of the Initiative is to focus on four areas: Regional Collaboration; Environment/Energy; Innovation/Economy; and, Secure and Sustainable Development.

Participating in its public debut were Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, U.S. Congressman Tom Davis of Virginia, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty.

“In the 21st Century economy, we know that regions, not artificial political boundaries, compete for talent and capital,” Governor Kaine said. “The Crescent is an important effort to leverage our world-class research strengths, knowledgeable workforce, and robust business climate to deliver high-paying jobs for generations to follow.”

“The Greater Washington Region is home to a tremendous number of resources --first-rate institutions of higher learning, prominent businesses, an incredibly well educated populace, a diverse economy, and the federal government and its multitude of world-class science and research facilities,” said Congressman Hoyer. “To maximize these assets, capitalize on obvious synergies, and effectively compete in the global economy, the region’s public and private sector leaders must work together across jurisdictional boundaries. That is the goal of the Chesapeake Crescent. I am a strong supporter of this exciting collaboration, and I look forward to working together as we look to tackle the tough issues that lie ahead.”

Governor O’Malley said, “The Chesapeake Crescent Initiative is an innovative approach that will help us work more closely with our neighbors to identify regional solutions to some of our shared challenges. By pooling our resources, we hope to be able to find long-term solutions to some of the pressing environmental, transportation and economic challenges that we all face separately every day.”

“This is the kind of outside-the-box collaboration that can have a long-lasting impact on our entire region,” said Congressman Davis. “To remain competitive in the global economy, we need to discard obsolete divisions between government and the private sector and join forces to position our region where it belongs: at the forefront of innovation, competitiveness, and wise environmental stewardship.”

Mayor Fenty said, “To build a truly globally competitive region, we have to think across jurisdictional lines when it comes to building a more green and sustainable economy, driving innovation and investment and making our transportation network more efficient and effective.”

Plans for the Chesapeake Crescent Initiative, a first in the region and the nation, have been years in the making. For its co-founders and vice chairmen Herb Miller and George Vradenburg, the Chesapeake Crescent Initiative is the instrument that will integrate the valuable resources of the region, addressing the challenges of the 21st Century for clean energy, environmental planning, harnessing intellectual and entrepreneurial assets, producing efficient transportation and workforce housing. This requires collaboration by the leaders of government supported by the private-sector entrepreneurial talent of the region. The long-term goal is to create a sustainable framework of regulatory and investment actions to ensure the areas promise and apply solutions to its challenges.

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