Transportation & the Environment & Committee of the Whole Public Hearing

COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE PHIL MENDELSON, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & THE ENVIRONMENT MARY M. CHEH, CHAIR NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING ON Bill 24-429, the Metro for D.C. Amendment Act of 2021 February 23, 2022, at 12:00 PM Councilmember Cheh’s Facebook Page (facebook.com/cmmarycheh) DC Council Website (dccouncil.us) Council Channel 13 (Cable Television Providers) Office of Cable Television Website (entertainment.dc.gov) On February 23, 2022, Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, Chairperson of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, and Chairman Phil Mendelson will hold a joint public hearing on Bill 24-429, the Metro for D.C. Amendment Act of 2021. The hearing will begin at 12:00 PM and will be broadcast live on DC Council Channel 13 and streamed live at www.dccouncil.us, facebook.com/cmmarycheh, and entertainment.dc.gov. Bill 24-429 would provide a $100 per month subsidy to eligible District residents for travel on any transportation that accepts payment through a SmarTrip or similar transit card (excluding parking). The bill would also establish a Transit Equity Fund to be administered by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), which may be used to improve transit service and/or invest in infrastructure in transit priority need areas, as identified in DDOT’s Multimodal Long- Range Transportation Plan, and for other defined uses. The bill would specify that each fiscal year, at least $10 million shall be deposited into the transit equity fund. Due to the imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of District residents posed by the spread of the coronavirus, the Council has adapted the methods by which committees may hold public hearings and hearings to comply with social distancing, large public gatherings, and other public health and safety requirements. Therefore, this public hearing will be held remotely through the Zoom teleconferencing platform. The public is invited to testify or to submit written testimony, which will be made a part of the official record. Anyone wishing to testify should contact Ms. Aukima Benjamin, Staff Assistant to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, at (202) 724-8062 or via e-mail at abenjamin@dccouncil.us; witnesses will receive information on how to join the hearing at that time. Witnesses who anticipate needing language interpretation, or requiring sign language interpretation, are requested to inform Ms. Benjamin of the need as soon as possible but no later than five business days before the roundtable, which is February 16, 2022. We will make every effort to fulfill timely requests, however requests received in less than five business days may not be fulfilled and alternatives may be offered. If you are unable to testify at the public hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record; testimony may be submitted to abenjamin@dccouncil.us. The public may also leave voicemail testimony for the record by calling (202) 350-1344, which will be transcribed and made part of the hearing record. Members of the public leaving voicemail testimony should speak slowly and clearly, state their full name and the organization they represent, if any, and note the bill, roundtable, or agency that they are submitting testimony on. Members of the public are asked to not provide an e-mail, phone number, or other person contact information in voicemail testimony. The record will close at the end of the business day on Mach 9, 2022. 2