House Green Transportation Act demands pollution action at state, local levels

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Several U.S. representatives introduced the Green Transportation Act this week, pledging a legislative effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the state and local levels.

The legislation proposes a new requirement for states and metropolitan planning organizations, mandating them to include greenhouse gas emissions reductions in any long-range public transit and highway planning. As an incentive, it would also open up Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST) funding for the development of standardized methods of measuring and monitoring GHG emissions, while simultaneously requiring the Department of Transportation to create an information hub for best practices.

“The global climate crisis requires a bold, well-coordinated response,” Chair of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), one of the bill’s creators, said. “Our bill creates a blueprint for homegrown leadership in pollution reduction that will modernize the fossilized thinking that has kept our transportation system hooked on fossil fuels.”

Doggett received support from the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chair Earl Blumenauer (D-OR).

“Our climate is in crisis,” Blumenauer said. “With the largest source of carbon emissions coming from our transportation system, all levels of government need to mobilize against this emergency of epic proportions.”

The bill has also received support from groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council, who noted that transportation is the largest source of carbon pollution in the United States.