On the recordApril 22, 2010
Mr. President, I rise today to recognize April as the 22nd Annual National American City Quality Month. Led by the National League of Cities, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, American City Planning Directors' Council/American City Quality Foundation, Urban Land Institute, City Planning and Management Division of the American Planning Association, International City/County Management Association, American Public Transportation Association, American Society of Landscape Architects and others, this valuable program brings together a wide range of public and private partners. Their efforts demonstrate what it takes to plan and develop better quality communities addressing vital issues including land use, building design, transportation, housing, parks and recreation, energy efficiency, economic development, environmental protection, sustainability and livability. City planners across my State of Maine and throughout the Nation are calling on public and private sector leaders to commit to preparing, adopting and implementing a nationwide better quality communities plan that will lead to better planning, redevelopment and development of our Nation's cities and surrounding regions. This is essential to accommodate U.S. Census projected population growth of about 30 million by the year 2020 and 100 million within 30 to 40 years. This is the equivalent of building eleven cities the size of Chicago.…





