Senate committee boosts funding for clean transportation in the climate bill
October 26, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
| Please thank your senators for moving forward on this landmark bill and ask them to continue to support strong transportation measures in the climate bill. |
The long-awaited allocations in the Senate climate bill were released over the weekend, and the news is good for increasing access to cleaner transportation options. Late Friday evening, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released the final numbers on where the revenues raised under a cap-and-trade climate bill would be directed.
The Senate nearly triples the funding for clean, sustainable transportation over the House climate bill, which only set aside an optional one percent of funding. (Streetsblog Capitol Hill has some details on the allocations.)
After hearing from advocates and their colleagues in the Senate, the authors of the Senate climate bill agreed to include a higher, guaranteed level of funding (roughly 2.4% over the life of the bill) for clean transportation options, such as public transportation, affordable neighborhoods around transit stops, vanpooling and streets safe for walking and biking.
We want to let the Senate know, especially those committee members, that we appreciate their leadership on this issue and we want them to defend that funding as the bill moves through other Senate committees. There is still a long road ahead for the climate bill and the Senate needs to know you will support their efforts to continue fighting for more money for clean transportation.
Take a moment to thank senators for making clean transportation part of the climate bill — and tell them to defend that money over the coming weeks.
Transportation for America is happy for the strong transportation provisions, but we are not stopping at 2.4%. We’re going to continue asking the Senate to increase that amount as the bill moves forward. It only makes sense — transportation pollution is responsible for nearly one-third of our national greenhouse gas emissions.
We applaud Sen. Barbara Boxer and the rest of the Senate EPW Committee for this strong statement that funding clean transportation options is a vital part of reducing our emissions.
Reason Online: climate bill must do more for clean transportation
September 29, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
UPDATED: A Reason representative wrote us to note that Shirley Ybarra “updated her post to better clarify her position that infrastructure projects that improve mobility should be the transportation sector’s top priority.” Of course, T4 America believes that improving mobility and decreasing emissions can go hand in hand, with the right investments.
With the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee expected to release their version of the climate bill tomorrow, we’re all anxiously waiting to see what the bill will do to reduce emissions from transportation. The U.S. transportation sector produces one-third of our carbon emissions, yet the House’s version of the climate bill allocated only an optional one percent of cap-and-trade revenues to cleaner transportation options that can help us cut transportation emissions.
Will the Senate bill be better? We think so, but the Reason Foundation, a free-market think tank, wrote that it should be if we’re going to seriously tackle transportation emissions:
The funding allocations are not expected to be released until closer to the committee markup date. This could well be another contentious issue. For the transportation sector to play a greater role in reducing emissions and fuel consumption, the Senate bill will need to dedicate far more than 1% of its revenues to advance clean transportation projects.
We agree wholeheartedly, and have been urging the Senate to adopt a plan that would raise that number from one percent to 10 percent.
One percent won’t cut it if we’re really going to tackle a sector that generates a full third of our emissions. We’ve been supporting a proposal in the Senate (CLEAN-TEA) that would direct 10% of the funding towards public transportation, passenger rail, affordable neighborhoods around transit stops, and neighborhood improvements that increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
It’s going to be difficult to reach our climate goals if we don’t give states and localities to tools they need to make a dent in the emissions that come from transportation. Having just a tiny share of revenue going to clean transportation is like asking a carpenter to build a house without a hammer. It might be possible, but it’s significantly more difficult.
You can still call your Senator today and tell them that the Senate climate bill needs to invest in a cleaner transportation system. Find their phone numbers and brief talking points right here.
Daily Headlines — 06/26/09
June 26, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- In the aftermath of Washington DC’s Metro crash, Time magazine looks America’s aging transit systems.
- Members of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee argue against looking at immediate transportation reform. (Streetsblog)
- House Rep. Edward Markey sees the climate bill getting signed before 2010. (National Journal)
- Driving numbers could be low again for the summer of 2009. (Wall Street Journal)
Congresswoman Doris Matsui pushes forward on the transportation-climate connection
May 20, 2009By Andrew Bielak
We’ve talked to you before about the climate legislation currently being debated in Congress, and the efforts of Congresswoman Doris Matsui of California to include a specific provision that would align infrastructure and land use planning with greenhouse gas reduction goals to preserve resources and fight climate change.
In recent marathon sessions — that’s right, they run up to 14 hours — members of the Energy and Commerce Committee in the U.S. House have been working in overdrive on the legislation, known as “The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.” Thankfully, the issues of providing better transportation options and promoting smart development have found a true champion in Congresswoman Matsui.
In yesterday’s hearing, Congresswoman Matsui had the opportunity to state her case for her Smart Planning for Smart Growth Act (H.R. 1780), and successfully garnered a commitment from Henry Waxman, the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to work together on these issues. Her remarks are below:
Mr. Chairman, I would like to get your commitment to work together with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee going forward to address all aspects of Section 222…from modeling…to development of plans…to implementation of plans…to be eligible for funding by states. States and cities will need resources to not only effectively plan…they will also need resources necessary to implement strategies like increasing transit use.
Chairman Waxman responded with a pledge to Congresswoman Matsui to continue working to fund transportation and planning activities that make our communities safer, healthier and more economically secure. You can watch the whole exchange here the Committee’s website. For Congresswoman Matsui’s statement and exchange, skip to 8:49:10.
The Smart Planning for Smart Growth Act would requires states and metropolitan planning organizations to create regional plans designed to generate emissions reductions and cost savings from the transportation sector by reducing per-capita vehicle miles traveled.
With transportation accounting for more 30 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions, we know that we must act quickly to ensure that it remains an essential part of the debate on climate. Be sure to sign a letter to your representative in Congress urging them to support a clean and efficient transportation system.
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