Amy participated in Federal Work Group meetings through the Surface Transportation Policy Project to develop strategies for shaping policy in the Federal transportation Bill. The group included environmental and community development organizations (like Sierra Club and APA), as well as advocacy groups for specific areas, such as Amtrak and Rails to Trails Conservancy.

She also conducted lobbying visits in support of environmental policy protection provisions in the Senate version of the Transportation bill. Amy met with Senate staff to ensure that they understood the importance and impact of core environmental provisions. As a lobbying tool, she developed a side-by-side comparison of key environmental provisions in the House, Senate, and Administration's bills to compare different aspects of all three.

The last component of her fellowship was participating in a research and writing group to develop a Smart Growth Strategies manual for China. For this manual, Amy researched green building best practices and sustainable urban planning strategies. This research will be part of a book/manual that the NRDC is working collaboratively to publish for Chinese planners and government.

“I think that before my fellowship, I had very little idea of the role policy plays in developing sustainable, comprehensive community plans that include public transportation and reduce our dependence on cars. This fellowship allowed me to learn more about this aspect of the overall picture, in a very hands-on manner.“

—Amy Marietta

“Amy showed drive and independence, as well as a maturity beyond her years. She was clearly a good choice for this program; she was able to give much to the organization and to get much from it.”

—Deron Lovaas