Mike Weichers, mayor of Cottonwood Heights, is one of the Utah city leaders at The National League of Cities' Congressional City Conference being held in Washington, D.C., this week, to meet with federal officials as well as to get to learn about federal projects and funding.

Weichers said he attended in 2022 and found it to be a "valuable experience." This year he, along with the entire Cottonwood Heights council, are there.

Weichers pointed out many city leaders in the West are concerned about housing challenges and how to address them as many feel the federal government is wanting cities to do more.

"In Utah, we have entitled 95,000 units for building," Weichers noted. "Yet the issues that are really stopping some of the ability to get homes and high-density housing built is more based on market conditions."

In addition, Weichers explained many bills passed during the state's legislative sessions limit and restrict land-use authority from cities, making the issue much more complicated.

Weichers is one of more than 2,800 elected officials visiting the Capitol. He stressed it is important to feel a sense of unity and support among leaders.

The city of Cottonwood Heights is interested in finding out about possible funding for a town square. Weichers explained before Cottonwood Heights was a city, it was part of unincorporated Salt Lake County, which meant the community did not have "the ability to build the city from scratch."

"So we are trying to find community opportunities for people to gather," Weichers stressed. "A town square-type area is something that we are really interested in and hopefully getting some federal support for."

Those in attendance celebrated the two-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan, which delivered an estimated $65.1 billion of direct federal aid to cities, towns and villages.


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The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is leading efforts to modernize and expand the state's passenger rail system, with significant projects underway to separate passenger and freight rail services.

DJ Stadtler, executive director of the authority, is touting what he hopes to be a game-changing effort to separate passenger and freight services and build state-owned rail infrastructure. He thinks current plans will lead to better on-time performance and increased reliability for both freight and passenger trains.

"We're purchasing a lot of the rail between Washington and really North Carolina, so we have dedicated passenger track, so only passenger trains will go on our track that we own," Stadtler explained. "The freight track traffic will stay on the freight lanes."

Virginia's rail modernization comes as part of a broader national effort. The Biden-Harris administration recently announced more than $1 billion in funding for passenger rail improvements and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is applying for more grants under the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program, with applications due in December.

The rail authority's ambitious plans aim to make passenger rail a more attractive option for Virginians, with incremental improvements leading to a more comprehensive rail system by 2030. By 2027, Stadtler pointed out Virginians will also see the introduction of Amtrak's Airo equipment, modern train sets designed for improved energy efficiency and a better passenger experience.

"The engines are dual mode, so you'll be having the same engine in D.C. that's electric when you get there," Stadtler outlined. "Instead of taking that engine off the conductor, the engineer will just hit a button, the electric pantograph will go down, the diesel engine will light up: boom! And then we'll continue southbound, so it'll be a much smoother trip."

As part of the future vision, the number of daily round trips between Richmond and Washington, D.C. will increase from five to 13, with nearly hourly service by 2030. In August, Virginia officials approved a deal with Norfolk Southern to expand passenger rail services, extending trains from Roanoke to Christiansburg in the New River Valley.

It is National Drive Electric Week and the Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund wants to raise awareness about the benefits electric vehicles can offer.

Diane Brown, executive director of the group, said Arizona has experienced an uptick in EV sales over the last several years. As of September of this year, there are now close to 90,000 EVs registered in Arizona, according to the U-S Department of Energy.

Brown added Arizonans are taking advantage of available tax credits and incentives from government and utilities to make the switch and help improve air quality, thereby protecting public health but also saving them money.

"Arizona can continue to bolster policies that help make the opportunities for drivers to shift gears from gas-fueled built vehicles to driving electric," Brown urged.

Brown acknowledged Arizonans may be apprehensive about an EV. She added some of the biggest worries are driving range and charging infrastructure. To those on the fence, she said car manufacturers continue to improve range and the state is set to receive millions in federal dollars to improve charging infrastructure along interstate highways.

To learn more about tax credits and incentives, Brown encouraged people to visit savingenergytips.org.

Brown added Arizona's clean energy economy, which includes the EV sector, is rapidly expanding. Thousands of jobs are making their way to Arizona thanks to federal legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Brown emphasized everyone across Arizona wins.

"Municipalities, school districts and businesses are reaping financial benefits from transitioning their fleets to electric," Brown added.

Arizona is among the top 10 states with the most EV registrations.

This week, federal officials announced a new round of funding for passenger rail projects. It is part of a larger push to expand and restore service, including an old Amtrak route which once made stops in North Dakota.

The $1 billion in total grants is part of a larger rail funding pool under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is helping restore a former route connecting Chicago to the Pacific Northwest, which ran until the late 1970s. The reinstated line would bring back service along the route to cities such as Bismarck.

Dave Strohmaier, chairman of the authority, said they were awarded seed money last year and remain hopeful about what lies ahead.

"The addition, the restoration of this passenger rail service would make a big difference to the economies, to the opportunities for transportation options for small and large communities along this route," Strohmaier contended.

There's an Amtrak route still operating across northern North Dakota, but Strohmaier said bringing back stops to the southern half helps communities with tourism, while getting rural residents to medical appointments in larger cities. He noted a small percentage of riders travel the entire multistate route.

The latest funding is for competitive grants. Regional leaders indicate they will bypass this round because it doesn't align with their effort. More funding will be needed once they move past the planning stage.

As for tourism, Strohmaier noted reinstating this service would also coincide with the planned opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in western North Dakota in the coming years. He described it as a match made in heaven.

"What a great way to travel -- in the same manner in which Theodore Roosevelt traveled many, many decades ago to the great state of North Dakota," Strohmaier stressed.

Project leaders added the new project would not disrupt North Dakota's current Amtrak route, the Empire Builder. Strohmaier said if all the stars align, the restored service could be up and running within the next decade. Potential complications include overcoming a shortage of manufactured train cars in the U.S.


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