By Diane Carman
School of Public Affairs

(Sept. 21, 2009) Three members of President Obama’s Cabinet and a representative of the White House Office of Urban Affairs met Friday, Sept. 18, with local leaders at an event sponsored by the School of Public Affairs.

Dean Paul Teske, SPA Wirth Chair Professor and former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart, and Professor Anu Ramaswami, head of the university’s IGERT program, joined Gov. Bill Ritter, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and a select group of experts on sustainable cities at a luncheon at the Tivoli Center. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Adolpho Carrion, head of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, were among the participants who discussed ways in which the federal government can help cities in their sustainability efforts.

About 300 invited guests attended a forum on the topic, which was held immediately after the luncheon at the King Center. Hickenlooper joined the federal officials in explaining the role of the cities and the federal government in achieving sustainability goals across the country and answering questions from the audience.

Photo: From left, Urban Affairs Office director Adolfo Carrion, Mayor John Hickenlooper, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.