SEDA-COG MPO to Host Two Public Meetings on Electric Vehicle Community Charging Stations

Lewisburg, PA– The SEDA-Council of Governments Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEDA-COG MPO) is partnering with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to sponsor two Electric Vehicle (EV) Community Charging Station public meetings. 

These free meetings, conducted in conjunction with PennDOT’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, are intended to provide background and resources on EVs and EV programs. They are also designed to collect information on potential EV charging station locations in communities throughout the SEDA-COG MPO region.

The SEDA-COG MPO will potentially receive about $2 million through PennDOT’s NEVI program funds to support community charging infrastructure.

Businesses and residents are encouraged to attend! The same information will be presented at both meetings.

Date: May 8, 2025
Time: 1–3 p.m.
Location: Shamokin-Coal Township Library, 210 E. Independence St., Shamokin, PA
Event free, registration requested: https://bit.ly/scevreg

Or

Date: May 13, 2025
Time: 6–8 p.m.
Location: Clinton County Community Center, 124 E. Walnut St., Lock Haven, PA
Event free, registration requested: https://bit.ly/scevreg

In addition to attending one of the in-person meetings, interested persons are encouraged to visit the program’s website, https://bit.ly/scevccp, to complete a survey and propose locations for potential charging station sites.

For more information, please contact SEDA-COG Senior Principal Transportation Planner Don Kiel at dkiel@seda-corg.org or at (570) 524-4491. Public participation is key to the development of the program. If anyone requires special assistance to complete the survey or would like a printed version, please contact Don Kiel.

The SEDA-COG Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the official transportation planning organization for eight (8) Central Pennsylvania Counties (Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union), as designated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

SEDA-COG MPO Launches Public Survey to Identify Long Term Transportation Needs

Lewisburg, PA – SEDA-Council of Governments Metropolitan Planning Organization (SEDA-COG MPO) invites the public to take an online survey to share regional transportation needs and priorities. The feedback received will help to inform the organization’s 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The survey is open from August 28–September 30 and can be accessed at https://bit.ly/3XavBlo or by scanning the QR code below.

“The LRTP impacts the counties in our MPO region—Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union—ensuring that the region’s needs and potential funding levels are considered over a 25-year planning horizon,” says Kim Wheeler, SEDA-COG Executive Director. “The public survey is an important step in pursuing projects that align with the region’s transportation vision and goals.”

The LRTP establishes a long-term strategy for the region’s multimodal transportation system and identifies current and future transportation needs based on system condition, demographics, economics, and land use trends. It is also used as a guide for the distribution of limited funding resources.

The plan is currently in its first phase of data collection and analysis. During the plan’s development, the MPO will assess all modes of transportation, including walking, biking, driving, transit, and freight. Once completed, the plan will be used to identify transportation investments that align with the public’s goals for the region, such as improved safety and mobility, reduced congestion, and economic development potential.

“The LRTP is updated every four or five years to reflect changes in regulations, regional demographics and travel patterns, and the priorities of residents and other stakeholders,” says Steve Herman, SEDA-COG MPO’s Director of Transportation. “A wide variety of project types will be included in the final LRTP, from major, capital-intensive projects, to those focused on traffic operations.”

Public participation is key to the development of the plan. SEDA-COG MPO encourages the public to visit the project’s website to take the survey and share their transportation priorities. If anyone requires special assistance to complete the survey or would like a printed version, please contact Kristin McLaughlin, SEDA-COG’s project manager, at 570-524-4491.

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

The SEDA-COG Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the official transportation planning organization for eight (8) Central Pennsylvania Counties (Clinton, Columbia, Juniata, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Union), as designated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

New Hire in SEDA-COG’s Transportation Department

SEDA-COG recently welcomed Bryce Buck as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst in the Department of Transportation.

Buck has over five years of experience in mapping, technical assistance, and data management. He previously worked as the GIS Analyst and Planner for Schuylkill County. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography with minors in GIS and Wildlife & Fisheries Science and a certificate in Landscape Ecology from Penn State University. While at Penn State, Buck served as a Dendrochronology Assistant in the Penn State Vegetation Dynamics Lab, GIS Teaching Instructor for the Geography Department, and Entomology Lab Technician in the Center for Pollinator Research. 

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

SEDA-COG Announces New Principal Transportation Planner

SEDA-COG is pleased to announce that Kristin McLaughlin, a 10-year staffer, will be assuming the role of Principal Transportation Planner.

McLaughlin has been with SEDA-COG since 2012, working in SEDA-COG’s Community Development department administering Lycoming County’s CDBG program. She has been employed in the planning and community development field throughout the region for 20 years. Her previous positions include Elm Street Manager for Sunbury Revitalization, Inc.; Transportation Planning Specialist for PennDOT’s Bureau of Rail Freight; and Community Planner for Union County Planning Commission.

In 2007, McLaughlin became a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. While working in the Community Development program, she was successful in bringing almost $4 million in CDBG Discretionary (Competitive) funds to the region. 

“I’m looking forward to being involved in long-range transportation planning and continuing to serve the SEDA-COG region,” said McLaughlin.

McLaughlin graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bloomsburg University in 2002 with a degree in Geography with a concentration in Urban and Regional Planning and a minor in Philosophy.

Steve Herman, SEDA-COG Director of Transportation Planning, believes Kristin is a perfect fit for the role.

“I am very excited to have Kristin join our team and apply her extensive experience and skills toward ensuring a safe, accessible, and efficient transportation system that improves the lives of the region’s residents and visitors. Kristin brings deep knowledge, broad project management successes, and strong consensus-building abilities in joining our dedicated staff,” Herman said.

Through SEDA-COG, counties and municipalities in Central Pennsylvania have a voice in transportation decision-making. Working together with SEDA-COG, local governments, businesses, and the public establish the region’s transportation priorities. Those priorities are detailed in such plans and programs as the region’s long-range transportation plan, transportation improvement program, unified planning work program, and coordinated transit plan.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.