OLYMPIA—This week, legislators, business leaders, academics, and policymakers from the U.S. and Canada are meeting for the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) Foundation’s 32nd annual summit in Boise, Idaho, to discuss regional economic best practices and trade concerns.
Rep. Jake Fey (D-Tacoma) is among the participants and will taking part in four presentations during the event.
“It’s essential that states and provinces work together to learn from one another and work towards essential climate goals and transportation infrastructure. It’s always a positive use of our time to learn from one another,” said Fey.
On Monday, July 17, Fey is one of five speakers on “NEVI Stations and Trash Collectors: Electrifying Transportation in Rural Areas.”
Fey and others will address the unique transportation electrification challenges rural communities face, such as the long distances between towns, limited staff resources to apply for federal funding opportunities, and access to adequate electric grid capacity. Despite the challenges, Fey and others will talk about the headway that is already being made in decarbonizing the transportation sector in rural areas.
The panel will also explore the unique challenges of rural transportation electrification, how utilities are planning to meet increased infrastructure needs through planning and managed charging, the importance of selecting the right vehicle for the best use-case, blending state and federal support, and how the federal NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) program can help ensure rural areas are not left behind in this transition.
Also on Monday, July 17, Fey is among several speakers in “Goal-Oriented: Strategic Tourism Planning for the 2026 World Cup.” Both Seattle and Vancouver are host cities in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and this panel discussion will address how the two nations are planning strategically to ensure that their tourism and transportation systems, borders, and hospitality workforce are prepared to host this historic event.
On Wednesday, July 19, Fey is part of a panel on “Better Together: Moving People and Freight on the Same Tracks.” Co-hosted with the Greater Northwest Passenger Rail Summit, this panel will identify ways to co-invest in freight and passenger rail to improve overall rail performance. The speakers will discuss how passenger rail service providers in the U.S. and Canada can navigate their relationships with host freight railroads.
On Thursday, July 20, Fey, along with five other state representatives, will participate in “Legislative Panel: Connecting Our States.” The two will describe current and future opportunities for states to work together in support of passenger rail. Because state legislatures have an important role in funding state-operated rail service, representatives from Washington (Fey), Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Utah will discuss how they’ve built political support for rail investments, how they work across state lines to provide rail service and how the public can get involved in supporting rail enhancements.