GOVgreen Conference and Expo

On November 9-10, 2010 in Washington, DC, the Center for Environmental Innovation and Leadership (CEIL) will present the GOVgreen Conference & Expo, an event to bring together government employees, contractors and suppliers to learn how to achieve sustainability goals as mandated by President Barack Obama's Executive Order 13514.

A variety of programs from notable and respected speakers (such as Robert Kennedy, Jr. and Dr. Dorothy Robyn) will be offered, addressing the critical topics of energy, transportation, conservation and facilities. There will be a session called "Moving Forward: Workforce Transportation Policies and Programs" that will discuss how federal employees can travel and commute to reduce carbon emissions. I'd be stunned if this session doesn't mention bicycling.

GOVgreen is free for all federal government and military personnel to attend. However, there is a special link for non-federal/military employees to get a free expo-only pass.

Comments

[Ren]

My small, well-funded federal agency tells me that I have to select either the bicycle benefit or smartcard. So even though I bicycle 80% of the time, I select smartcard since it beats $22. I know that some other fed agencies are flexible about this.

They have no problem subsidizing parking to the tune of $300 a month per car, just as long as you only pick one system and don't double-dip, the largest crime possible.

I have bigger battles in my life to fight, but this does stick in my craw.

[wil]

@Ren
The reason your employer makes you pick is because that is how the federal law is written. See USC 26 Sec 132(f). The transit and parking benefit can be combined, but the bike benefit is mutually exclusive. Ergo, either transit and parking or bike benefit, no crossover between bike and anything else.

Don't lose hope, Rep. Blumenauer and others are trying to fix this with HR 863 a few technical corrections that would allow crossover between bike and transit benefits.

Earl also introduced "Green Routes to Work - HR 3271" which would level the playing field between parking benefits and all other modes.

I agree the current situation seems stupid, but the problem isn't with your agency, it's with congress, and it has strong political dimensions of Rs vs. Ds

[Aaron]

Impressive summary Wil, thanks for the info. Happen to know what can be done to advocate for either solution?

[Ren]

I guess I could confirm this, but someone I talked to at another agency (Dept of Transportation) said that he did not have to pick. Maybe their implementation is wrong.

[washcycle]

Ren, Rep. Blumenauer has proposed legislation to fix this, but you'll be shocked to know that it failed to make it through despite the "let's work together and get things done, we're in a crisis" attitude that permeated this current Congress.