Breath Deep: Clear Air Rule Reinstated by Highway Administration
In a big win for clean air, the Federal Highway Administration has responded to a lawsuit brought by environmental groups by reinstating a federal requirement that state and local planners track and curb carbon pollution from cars and trucks on the national highways, which is a major contributor to climate change.
On July 31st, the Natural Resources Defense Council, U.S. PIRG, and the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of Clean Air Carolina, sued the Federal Highway Administration for illegally suspending, the federal transportation greenhouse gas rule advanced by the Highway Administration under the Obama administration.
This action means that federal officials can continue working with local and state transportation agencies across the country to hammer out smarter, more effective transportation plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that harm both public health and the environment.
They face a first compliance deadline of October 2018.
“We will continue to take legal action when we see agencies attempting to cut corners and will ensure that thoughtful, transparent decision-making remains the norm in the United States,” said Trip Pollard, leader of SELC’s Land and Community Program.
“Policies to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from transportation are essential to minimize the impacts of climate change, which has been recognized by health experts worldwide as the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century,” said Matt Casale, U.S. PIRG transportation advocate.
In 2014, the Highway Administration began developing new standards under the 2012 Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act.
In 2016, the agency issued transportation standards for congestion mitigation and air quality improvement and solicited public comment on whether and how to establish a standard for greenhouse gas emissions. In response, nine state departments of transportation, 24 metropolitan planning organizations, more than 100 cities, 67 members of Congress, more than 100 public interest organizations and almost 100,000 individuals commented in favor of a greenhouse gas standard.
The Highway Administration issued a final greenhouse gas standard on January 18, 2017. Under it, the roughly 400 state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations must track the annual number of tons of carbon dioxide emitted from on-road vehicles traveling on the national highway system.
They also must set two- and/or four-year emissions-reduction targets, with the first targets to be submitted to the Highway Administration by February 20, 2018, and periodically report on their progress.
But once in office, the Trump Administration issued notices delaying the implementation of the standard and indefinitely suspending it on May 19.
“Our lawsuit held the Trump administration accountable for illegally halting a common-sense tool to curb carbon pollution from transportation,” said Amanda Eaken, director of transportation and climate in NRDC’s Urban Solutions program. “Now the Federal Highway Administration should get busy working with planners nationwide to clean up the air, protect our health and provide smarter transportation options for Americans such as more public transit, bikeways and pedestrian walkways.”
The transportation sector accounted for 36.4 percent of all U.S. carbon emissions in 2016. America’s transportation system produces more greenhouse gas pollution than the entire economy of any other nation on earth except China, India and Russia. U.S. transportation emissions are thus significant on a global scale.
“This summer has shown us clearer than ever before that the signs of a changing climate are already upon us,” said June Blotnick, Executive Director of Clean Air Carolina. “This rule will provide transportation planners with the tools they need to help combat vehicle pollution. Not only will this help mitigate climate change, but the reduction in local air pollution will help our members breathe a little easier.”
Category: General Update, Green, News
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
