That's why we'll improve our Partnership for Sustainable Communities by working with HUD, EPA, and the Department of Transportation in making sure that when it comes to development, housing, energy, and transportation policy go hand in hand.

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At the federal level, one innovative solution can be found in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a collaboration of the Department of Housing and Urban Development ( HUD), the Department of Transportation ( DOT), and the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA).

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Some observers such as Dr. Robert Lang, an expert on urban affairs and planning at Virginia Tech University, say the gas crunch could be a turning point in perceptions of public transportation and how cities plan development.

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Cutts, in collaboration with Ashoka Fellow Katherine Lucey, is tackling barriers to better healthcare, including the lack of reliable electricity and unreliable transportation infrastructure, through participatory development initiatives like the installation of solar systems in rural health care centers and motorcycle ambulance programs.

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The boom in natural gas development should also stimulate the local economies and employment incomes of counties and states where drilling, exploration and transportation are centered.

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