Biography provided by participant
As Friends of the Earth’s (Transportation Policy Coordinator, Colin Peppard focuses his work on sustainable transportation policies. This includes “greening” the federal transportation bill, securing greater funding mass transit, passenger rail, and smart growth programs, and in general reducing global warming impacts from transportation.
Peppard has helped to stop major budget cuts to federal smart growth programs, transit, and Amtrak. He has testified before Congress on the global warming benefits of passenger rail, and helped to usher legislation through the Senate that would provided dedicated funding to Amtrak, reform the railroad’s operations, and boost the use of renewable locomotive fuels. Most recently, Peppard has been coordinating the Smart Growth and Climate Change Coalition, an effort of more than fifty diverse organizations focused on advancing the federal role of smart growth and transit in mitigating climate change.
Previously, Peppard worked as the Associate Energy Advocate for the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group in Boston. He has worked on campaigns to boost renewable energy, clean up polluting power plants, and increase energy efficiency. Peppard coordinated both the Massachusetts and New England Climate Coalitions, authoring and helping pass state energy policy and legislation. Peppard received a B.A. in Environmental Thought and Practice and Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia.
