
Advocacy
With 30 years of zero-emission deployment experience and project success, CTE stands as the foremost non-profit in environmental advocacy for zero-emission transportation.

2026 Legislative Agenda Priorities
CTE works hard to advocate for government policies and programs that support a zero-emission future.
Our advocacy priorities for 2026 are listed below:

1. Authorize TVIDC
The Transit Vehicle Innovation and Deployment Centers Program (TVIDC) is the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)'s primary advanced technology transit vehicle research and development initiatives. Through TVIDC, FTA collaborates with manufacturers, transit agencies, and other stakeholders to overcome deployment challenges, improve efficiency, and reduce the costs and risks associated with adopting advanced vehicle technologies. Building off a successful history of non-profit consortium management, FTA works with industry representatives to create a research environment that accelerates innovation and drives broader adoption of advanced vehicle technologies.
The program has received consistent bipartisan support throughout appropriations cycles, but remains unauthorized. Program authorization would allow TVIDC program managers to plan more effectively for future project phases by designating a recurring and consistent funding amount. Strategic funding for the TVIDC program is essential to maximizing the impact of the $5 billion in federal and billions more in state investments dedicated to deploying advanced transit technologies. TVIDC ensures that vehicles purchased with public dollars are equipped with the most advanced, future-ready technologies that strengthen public mobility, reduce long-term maintenance costs, and create domestic jobs in clean technology manufacturing.

2. Protect Key Programs
Federal discretionary programs across DOT, DOE, and EPA, are essential to support the advanced vehicle technology industry, offset the upfront costs of advanced technology vehicles for early adopters, and support operators across the country in modernizing their fleets, especially in CTE’s Priority Markets. Without sustained, market-responsive funding, fleets risk short-sighted planning, including higher lifecycle costs, inability to meet state-level operations targets, and uneven geographic access to advanced transportation technologies. Reduced investment will also impact everyday Americans' ability to access employment, recreation, and retail centers. CTE is working to protect and strengthen key discretionary funding and grant programs that support fleet modernization, and support market-driven demand for the advanced transportation technology industry.
Key programs include: FTA's Low and No Emission Vehicle Program & Low and No Emission Ferries Program, EPA's Clean School Bus Program, Clean Ports Program, & Clean Heavy Duty Vehicle Program, and DOE’s Hydrogen Hubs Program and VTO Research Program, as well as hydrogen-related opportunities from the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office. CTE is working to maintain these programs in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Process.

3. Streamline and Improve Existing Programs
FTA’s Low- and No- Emission Vehicle Program allows prime applicants to name project partners (including technical assistance providers) in the grant application to satisfy competitive procurement requirements under 49 U.S.C. 5325(a). This process significantly reduces project timelines by precluding the need for awardees to competitively solicit project partners with a post-award RFP. Applicants that form a project team prior to submission can benefit from technical expertise and industry knowledge across sectors, rather than relying solely on often-limited internal resources. However, most other competitive grant programs do not allow this pre-award teaming, extending project timelines and limiting technical assistance. CTE is working hard on Capitol Hill and with executive-branch agencies, advocating for the expansion of partnership provisions as seen in FTA’s Low- and No- Emission Vehicle Program, across key funding programs, including key DOE, EPA and DOT programs of interest.

4. Diversify Transit Funding Sources
As Congress considers Surface Transportation Reauthorization, the industry is preparing for the consolidation and or elimination of certain IIJA programs. Some larger formula programs may be consolidated and therefore in need of updated eligibility requirements to mirror programs authorized in the last surface transportation bill. It is imperative to the industry that advanced vehicle technologies are included in these new formula programs, whether that be through expanded eligibility requirements, or percentage set-asides to study new technologies. Without this work, the DOT risks falling behind on innovation and modernization of our transportation systems. CTE is working to diversify and strengthen formula fund mechanisms for advanced technology deployment, development and research.

"Through the development and application of advanced technologies, CTE helps connect innovative thinkers, create jobs in emerging sectors, and reduce our dependence on foreign fuel sources."
CTE’s Policy Advisory Board
We collaborate with leading industry experts on our Policy Advisory Board to propel the zero-emission industry forward.
Dan Raudebaugh
As Executive Director, Dan Raudebaugh has dedicated the last 30 years to fostering environmental and energy sustainability and creating jobs within US emerging technology sectors. He has developed, secured funding for, and managed a varied portfolio of cost-shared research, development, demonstration, and deployment projects exceeding $1.5 billion. Mr. Raudebaugh leads a staff of experienced engineers and project managers who are committed to improving the efficiency and sustainability of US energy and transportation systems. Mr. Raudebaugh holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from Georgia Tech.

John D. Porcari
John D. Porcari is a nationally-recognized public and private sector infrastructure leader, delivering some of America’s most challenging projects and driving the adoption of equitable, community-serving infrastructure policies and projects at the local, state and federal levels. John is Managing Partner of 3P Enterprises and serves on the board of directors of STV Inc., a leading national infrastructure engineering, environmental, and planning firm, as well as Vantage Airport Group, which operates 10 airports worldwide and is delivering the new world-class LaGuardia airport. John previously served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the United States Department of Transportation in the Obama-Biden administration. As Deputy Secretary, John led a series of policy, process and financial reforms to expedite the delivery of infrastructure projects throughout the US. Prior public sector leadership positions include twice serving as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, America’s only state-level DOT that incorporates statewide transit, highway, port, aviation, bridge & tunnel authority and motor vehicle licensing functions.

Zach Kahn
Zach Kahn is a Senior Strategist in the Public Policy Group at Orrick. Before joining the firm, he held several leadership roles in the clean transportation sector, including Senior Managing Policy Advisor at Tesla; Director of Government Relations, North America, at BYD Motors; and Vice President of Business Development at WAVE. Zach has served on the Board of Directors for the Center for Transportation and the Environment since 2018. He holds a law degree from Cardozo Law School and a BA from Tufts University.

Peter DeFazio
Congressman DeFazio served as a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee since he first entered Congress in 1987. In 2019, DeFazio was elected to the position of Chair of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Coast Guard, highways and transit, ports and water resources, railroads, aviation, and economic development. During his tenure on the Committee, he served as Chairman or Ranking Member of four of the six subcommittees: Aviation, Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Highways and Transit, and Water Resources and Environment. He authored and passed in the House the Moving Forward Act.

Steve Wallauch
Steven T. Wallauch joined Platinum Advisors in 2012 through the merger of Suter, Wallauch, Corbett, & Associates (SWCA) with Platinum Advisors. He was a principal with SWCA for over twenty years and is recognized as a leading Capitol specialist in transportation policy and public transit issues. Other areas of expertise include municipal planning, local economic development, water district policy, public works policy, and public infrastructure finance. In addition to his legislative activities, Steve works extensively with the California Transportation Commission, Caltrans, and the California Air Resources Board in the interests of his clients. He represents client policy issues at the California Energy Commission and Water Quality Control Board. He is the primary liaison with statewide associations such as Transportation California, the Self-Help Counties Coalition, the California Transit Association, the League of California Cities, and the California State Association of Counties on public works issues.

Christa Lucas
Christa Lucas is Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Public Policy, and Advocacy for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) where she oversees NBAA’s outreach to U.S. Congress, the federal administration, state and local governments, the aviation community, and grassroots programs. On behalf of NBAA, she leads the Advanced Air Mobility Roundtable, which provides a forum to develop positions and industry consensus on legislative and regulatory challenges and opportunities including airport access, airspace management, local community engagement and other critical priorities. Ms. Lucas previously served as associate administrator for airports at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and as deputy assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. She also served as the legislative director to Representative Jerry Costello (IL) and was professional staff on the House Aviation Subcommittee, which Rep. Costello chaired. She managed the legislative agenda and handled responsibilities related to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Shannon Hines
Shannon H. Hines joined Textron in February 2022 as Textron’s Senior Vice President – Government Affairs & Washington Operations. She is responsible for leading Textron’s Washington-based government affairs activities, managing the corporate strategies and activities that maximize Congressional and Executive Branch support for programs and issues of interest to Textron and its business units. Hines joined Textron following a career on Capitol Hill. She was most recently Republican staff director for the Senate Appropriations Committee. In this role, Hines served as chief advisor to Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama and was the primary liaison between the Appropriations Committee and Senate and House leadership, the White House and federal agencies. Hines previously served as staff director for the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, senior professional staff to the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and Republican staff director for the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations. She has also served as chief of staff and legislative director for Senator Shelby. She received her B.A. in Politics from Wake Forest University.

Dorval R. Carter, Jr.
Dorval R. Carter, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of Saint Anthony Hospital, where he leads the hospital’s strategic vision and the development of a new state-of-the-art facility on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Mr. Carter previously served for a decade as President of the Chicago Transit Authority, one of the nation’s largest transit systems, overseeing more than 10,000 employees and major investments in modernizing the region’s transit infrastructure, including the Red Line Extension and Red and Purple Modernization projects. Before joining CTA, Mr. Carter held senior leadership roles at the United States Department of Transportation, serving as Acting Chief of Staff to Secretary Anthony Foxx and previously as Acting Deputy Administrator and Chief Counsel of the Federal Transit Administration. Mr. Carter also served as Chair of the American Public Transportation Association and remains active in national transportation leadership initiatives focused on strengthening infrastructure, mobility, and equitable economic opportunity. Mr. Carter holds a Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., as well as the Illinois and Federal bar associations.





















