Frank Lautenberg, Champion of Smart Growth

June 3rd, 2013 by New Jersey Future staff

It is with deep sadness that we note the passing today of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

At the time of his death Sen. Lautenberg served on the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. As a member of the latter, he chaired the Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security Subcommittee, a key role that allowed him to fight tirelessly for resources that would foster New Jersey’s economic growth and its quality of life. As just one part of his significant legacy, in recent years he:

Authored transportation bills that increased federal transit funding for New Jersey by 50%;
Secured more than $1 billion in federal funding for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail;
Secured more than $500 million in federal funding for the NJ Transit Secaucus transfer station that now bears his name;
Authored legislation creating incentives for charitable organizations to invest in brownfields in an effort to accelerate remediation, and later introduced legislation that would help municipalities to clean up contaminated land;
Co-authored the disaster aid package that will provide New Jersey with more than $60 billion to rebuild following Superstorm Sandy;
Was a driving force in securing federal aid for a dedicated Amtrak tunnel under the Hudson River to help expand commuter capacity between New Jersey and New York.

We’re extremely grateful that New Jersey had such a staunch champion in Washington on smart-growth issues, and we extend our condolences to his family and friends on their loss.