Huffman floats green transportation legislation

Rep. Jared Huffman wants to make the nation's transportation planners slash greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change.

The California Democrat introduced legislation, H.R. 5354, late last week that would direct the Department of Transportation to establish minimum standards for states to reduce emissions along the National Highway System.

The bill, dubbed the "Generating Resilient, Environmentally Exceptional National Streets Act," would generally aim to reduce per capita miles driven and shift the federal focus away from subsidized highway projects that fuel urban sprawl.

The bill comes as Democratic leaders on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee draft a transportation bill that's expected to put a heavy focus on climate change (E&E Daily, Nov. 18).

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee already approved infrastructure legislation this year with a first-ever climate title (Greenwire, July 30).

Huffman, a member of the T&I panel, said his bill would transform "how we measure success in the federal transportation program and how we hold federal and state decision-makers accountable for reducing carbon pollution."

"Tackling climate change is going to mean moving away from the current model of more highways and longer commutes to a model of safer, healthier, and more resilient communities," Huffman said in a statement.

By:  Nick Sobczyk
Source: E&E Daily

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