WASHINGTON — CG/LA Infrastructure LLC, a leader in infrastructure project identification and development, released the Top 100 Infrastructure Projects in North America. The total estimated value of these projects is nearly $465 billion with a potential to create nearly 7 million full-time employment positions during the coming five years. Projects are focused on the long-term competitiveness of North America, and were identified through a participatory process with industry professionals. The Top 100 list is released prior to CG/LA’s 2nd North America Strategic Infrastructure Leadership Forum, which will be held Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, 2010, in Washington, D.C. Thomas Friedman will speak at the Leadership Forum’s policy day, organized jointly with the Progressive Policy Institute.

“The 2nd North America Leadership Forum highlights those projects that will anchor our region’s long-term competitiveness,” said Norman F. Anderson, president and CEO of CG/LA Infrastructure. The Leadership Forum will host not only the top projects in the U.S., but also leading initiatives in Canada and Mexico. “When it comes to infrastructure, North America requires vision, public sector excellence and persistent, effective, leadership — the Obama Administration has made a great start, with a series of innovative financing mechanisms that will be featured at the forum.”

Projects included in the Top 100 list cover 10 distinct strategic infrastructure sectors: Airports ($28 billion), Digital ($21 billion), Electricity ($78 billion), High Speed Rail ($60 billion), Oil & Gas ($13 billion), Ports & Logistics ($3 billion), Renewable Energy ($19 billion), Surface Transportation ($50 billion), Urban Mass Transit ($132 billion), and Water & Wastewater ($5 billion). Projects were selected and scored based on the following criteria: (1) contribution to local economic productivity; (2) contribution to global competitiveness; (3) reliable projections as to opportunity/jobs creation; (4) business opportunity creation during the next 3-18 months; and (5) energy productivity.

Thomas Friedman, Pulitzer Prize winner and author, most recently, of “Hot, Flat & Crowded,” leads a program full of high-level speakers from industry, politics, and policy including Joe Boardman, CEO and president of Amtrak; Alfredo Elías Ayub, CEO of Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE); and others from throughout North America. The audience will consist of 500+ infrastructure leaders from finance, engineering/construction, equipment/ technology, policy, and federal infrastructure programs. A selection of 50 of the Top 100 projects will be presented at the Leadership Forum. These include: the Chicago to St. Louis High-Speed Rail project; California’s Ivanpah Solar project; the CSX National Gateway project; and the Federal Transit Administration’s innovative State of Good Repair program.

CG/LA Infrastructure LLC, based in Washington D.C., focuses on creating opportunity in the global infrastructure marketplace by assisting countries, regions, and companies to become increasingly competitive. CG/LA hosts Leadership Forum events around the world focused on building value in the nearly $1 trillion global infrastructure marketplace.

To download the Top 100 list or for more information, visit www.cg-la.com/nalf2.