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US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to visit new KCI terminal, Panasonic battery plant site Monday

Buttigieg Road Safety
Posted at 1:59 PM, Feb 26, 2023
and last updated 2023-02-26 14:59:16-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — United States Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will arrive in the Kansas City area Monday to celebrate the opening of Kansas City International Airport's new single terminal and to visit the site of the $4 billion Panasonic electric vehicle manufacturing plant in De Soto, Kansas.

Buttigieg will gather with Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II and other leaders Monday morning for a ribbon cutting, marking the opening of the new terminal.

The terminal officially opens to travelers Tuesday.

Later Monday, Buttigieg will meet with Rep. Sharice Davids, Kansas Lieutenant Gov. David Toland, DeSoto Mayor Rick Walker, Johnson County Chair Mike Kelly and other leaders for a tour of the Panasonic plant.

The U.S. DOT secretary will also hold a news conference focused on the creation of jobs through the EV industry, including a projected 20,000 jobs created by the Panasonic plant, and the expansion of the EV charging network.

Buttigieg will complete his trip to the Kansas City area by visiting the University of Missouri-Kansas City to discuss a $2 million University Transportation Center grant focused on creating new approaches to sustainable and equitable transportation infrastructure.