The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the availability of approximately $3.4 million in grant funding under the National Clean Diesel Campaign for projects that use emerging technologies to reduce emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of diesel engines. The new Emerging Technology Program will provide funding to eligible entities and manufacturers to develop diesel emission reduction technologies that are not yet verified or certified by the EPA or the California Air Resources Board. Examples of possible emerging technologies include hydraulic hybrid vehicles and selective catalytic reduction. Proposals are due on Sept. 21, 2008. For more information, link to the National Clean Diesel Campaign’s Emerging Technologies website. (7-21-08)

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The Federal Highway Administration has released an annual progress report on a national study of toxic air pollutant emissions associated with major highway facilities required by a 2005 settlement agreement to a lawsuit challenging the expansion of U.S. 95 in Las Vegas (Sierra Club v. Mineta). The study, which will research the concentration and physical behavior of mobile source air toxics (MSATs) and mobile source fine particle (PM-2.5) emissions at up to three sites, is intended to provide data applicable to highway projects nationwide. The 2008 progress report finds that data collection is scheduled to begin this summer at the first site in Las Vegas and that current funding should allow for additional studies to be performed in Detroit and potentially a third site in Raleigh, N.C. For more information including previous annual reports and other resources, link to FHWA’s National Near Roadway MSAT Study website. (7-16-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has released the final report titled “Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen—Health Criteria.” The report provides the agency’s latest evaluation of scientific research on potential adverse impacts on human health from exposure to nitrogen oxides, one of six criteria pollutants regulated by EPA. For more information, link to EPA’s National Center for Environmental Assessment website. (7-14-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has released an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on potential regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act (CAA) in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 2, 2007, decision in Massachusetts v. EPA. The court found that the CAA gives EPA authority to regulate tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions because they meet the definition of an air pollutant under the Act. The notice requests comments on analyses and policy alternatives regarding the effects of greenhouse gas emissions and regulation under the CAA. Comments will be due 120 days after publication in the Federal Register. A fact sheet, pre-publication copy of the proposed rule, and related technical documents are available on EPA’s Climate Change website. (7-11-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new campaign to encourage consumers to purchase cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles under its SmartWay program. The national public service campaign will help consumers recognize cars and trucks with the EPA SmartWay Leaf certification mark as the best environmental performers on the basis of combined pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions and fuel-economy. SmartWay certified vehicles represent about 20 percent of all vehicles on the market. For more information, link to the SmartWay website. (7-3-08)

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The U.S. Government Accountability Office has submitted a report to Congress on the opinions of a panel of economists regarding the economic impacts of policy options for addressing climate change. Of 18 economists who responded to GAO questionnaires, all agreed that Congress should consider using a market-based mechanism to establish a price on greenhouse gas emissions. To establish a price on emissions, most of the panelists preferred either a tax, which would set a fixed price per ton of emissions, or a hybrid policy incorporating features of a tax and a cap-and-trade program. Fourteen of the 18 economists also recommended additional actions such as investment in research and development of low-emissions technologies. In addition, the panelists identified general categories of costs and benefits associated with their recommendations. For more information, link to highlights and the full report, Climate Change: Expert Opinion on the Economics of Policy Options to Address Climate Change. (6-9-08)

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The National Science and Technology Council and the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) have released a scientific assessment of the effects of global change on the United States, with particular emphasis on climate change. The report summarizes and integrates findings from synthesis and assessment products produced by the CCSP and assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, addressing the impacts of climate change on sectors such as transportation, agriculture, water resources, ecosystems, and human health. CCSP also released an updated research plan that addresses remaining uncertainties in climate science, including regional impacts and adaptation options. For more information, link to the Scientific Assessment of the Effects of Global Change on the United States and the Revised Research Plan for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. (5-29-08)

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A new report from the Brookings Institution provides data on transportation and residential carbon emissions for the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, finding that metro areas have smaller carbon “footprints” than other parts of the country. The report cites residential density and the availability of public transportation as important factors in understanding carbon footprints and suggests federal policy actions to address climate change, including promoting transit and compact development and introducing more energy efficient freight operations with regional freight planning. For more information, link to Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America. (5-29-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the winners of the 2008 Clean Air Excellence Awards honoring outstanding, innovative efforts to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For 2008 there are 11 winners in the following categories: Clean Air Technology; Community Action; Education/Outreach; Regulatory/Policy Innovations; and the Thomas W. Zosel Outstanding Individual Achievement Award. For more information, link to the press release and the EPA Clean Air Excellence Awards Program website. (5-28-08)

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The Federal Transit Administration has announced the availability of approximately $28.8 million in fiscal year 2008 funding for the discretionary Clean Fuels Grant program under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The program provides funds to support emerging clean fuel and advanced propulsion technologies for transit buses and related markets in ozone or carbon monoxide non-attainment or maintenance areas. Eligible applicants include states; municipalities and other subdivisions of states; public agencies and instrumentalities of one or more states; and public corporations, boards, and commissions established under state law. Applicants must have legal, financial, and technical capacity to carry out proposed project and maintain facilities and equipment purchased with federal assistance. Applicants must also operate in an urbanized area designated as a non-attainment or maintenance area for ozone or carbon monoxide. If the urbanized area is less than 200,000 in population, the state in which the area is located will act as the recipient. Proposals are due July 21, 2008. For more information, link to the Federal Register notice. (5-22-08)

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AASHTO has published an information report, Primer on Transportation and Climate Change, which provides an introduction to the issue of climate change and its implications for transportation policy in the United States. The report summarizes the current state of scientific knowledge concerning the causes and impacts of climate change; provides an introduction to climate change policy issues; discusses trends in greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation; reviews potential measures to reduce such emissions; and identified issues for further research. For more information, link to the AASHTO release or to the full report, Primer on Transportation and Climate Change. (5/20/08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the winners of its Climate Change and Ozone Layer Protection Awards. The agency honored 39 individuals, organizations and companies from around the world for “demonstrated ingenuity and leadership by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, negotiating international agreements to protect the ozone layer and climate, and spreading awareness about the importance of these issues.” For more information on the award winners, link to the EPA release. (5-19-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a proposal to significantly tighten the national ambient air quality standard for lead from the current 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter of air to between 0.10 and 0.30 micrograms per cubic meter. The agency also announced that it will take comment on alternative levels from less than .010 to 0.50 micrograms per cubic meter. The proposal represents the first change to the standards for lead since 1978; the agency says that lead emissions have fallen 98 percent since 1980, primarily due to the phaseout of lead in gasoline. EPA will accept comments on the proposal for 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. Hearings are scheduled for June 12, 2008, in Baltimore and St. Louis. A fact sheet, pre-publication copy of the proposed rule, and related technical documents are available on EPA’s lead standards webpage. (5-1-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $127,000 grant as part of its National Clean Diesel Campaign to cut emissions from heavy-duty diesel trash trucks in the city of Pittsburgh. The funding will be provided to the Mid-Atlantic Air Management Association, who will in turn issue a grant to the city and two partners for a pilot project to retrofit 8 to 12 diesel trash trucks with new diesel particulate filters. EPA also requests proposals for an additional $3.1 million in funding for projects to reduce diesel emissions in the Mid-Atlantic region. Proposals are due June 13, 2008. For more information, link to EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign and the Mid-Atlantic Diesel Collaborative. (4-25-08)

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A report published by the Environmental Protection Agency describes how regions can calculate the transportation and air quality benefits of infill development based on standard transportation forecasting models used by regional metropolitan planning organizations. The report summarizes three case studies in Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; and Denver showing that redirecting jobs and household development to brownfield and other infill sites reduces overall travel, congestion, and vehicle emissions. For more information, link to Measuring the Air Quality and Transportation Impacts of Infill Development. (November 2007)

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U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters has announced a proposal to increase fuel efficiency standards for passenger vehicles and light trucks by 4.5 percent per year over five years, ending in 2015. A proposed rule of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to increase the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for model year 2011-2015 vehicles would increase fuel economy from 27.5 miles per gallon to 35.7 mpg for cars and from 23.5 mpg to 28.6 mpg for light trucks, representing a 25 percent total increase. The proposal also would allow automakers to earn credits for exceeding the CAFE standards. For more information, link to the press release and text of the proposed rule on the NHTSA website. (4-22-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has published its annual inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The report finds that overall emissions during 2006 decreased by 1.1 percent from the previous year, due primarily to a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions associated with fuel and electricity consumption. The report also finds that overall greenhouse gas emissions grew by 14.7 percent from 1990 to 2006. For more information, link to Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006 on EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions website. (4-15-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized new emissions standards for locomotives and marine diesel engines that it says will reduce emissions of particulate matter by 90 percent and nitrogen oxides by 80 percent when the regulations take full effect in 2015. A fact sheet and pre-publication version of the preamble and regulatory text are available on EPA’s Clean Diesel Locomotive and Clean Diesel Marine websites. (3-14-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced the availability of $49.2 million in fiscal year 2008 funding for grants under the National Clean Diesel Campaign. For FY 2008, Congress has appropriate funds for the first time for the Diesel Emission Reduction Program under the Energy Policy Act to help reduce harmful emissions from heavy duty diesel engines. For more information, link to the National Clean Diesel Campaign website. (2-7-08)

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A background document providing information on transporation and climate change was issued on March 4 by Federal Highway Administration Headquarters in a memorandum to division offices. The document, written in a question-and-answer format, addresses the following questions:

• What are “greenhouse gases” and the “greenhouse effect”?
• What are “global climate change” and “global warming”?
• Is the climate changing now?
• What is the IPCC?  Does it reflect the opinion of U.S. scientists?
• What is causing climate change?  Do scientists agree that it is caused by human activity?
• What are the effects of climate change?
• What role does transportation play in climate change?
• What impact does climate change have on the transportation infrastructure?
• Can reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activities eliminate the effects of climate change?
• How can greenhouse gas emissions from transportation be reduced?
• What is the U.S. Government doing about climate change?
• What is happening at the State and local level?
• What steps have States and MPOs taken to consider climate change in the transportation planning and/or environmental review processes?

To access the background document, link here. 

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A final study released by the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Climate Change Science Program documents significant potential for climate change impacts on transportation infrastructure in the U.S. Gulf Coast region over the next 50-100 years and urges transportation planners nationwide to weigh the potential for similar threats. The report cites potential service disruptions and infrastructure damage from rising sea levels, increased storm intensity, and resulting flooding. The report also finds that warmer temperatures could require changes to materials, maintenance, and operations for transportation infrastructure. Suggestions in the report include lengthening the current 20-year to 30-year transportation planning cycle to consider long-term impacts and employment of a risk management approach. For more information, link to Impacts of Climate Change and Variability on Transportation Systems and Infrastructure: Gulf Coast Study. (03/12/08)

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A report issued by the National Research Council calls for the U.S. transportation sector to evaluate and plan for likely climate change impacts to infrastructure, including potential coastal flooding of roads, railways, transit systems, and airport runways. Inventories of vulnerable infrastructure, changes to design standards for roads and bridges, and new approaches for predicting weather events are among the immediate needs to help protect U.S. transportation systems from the effects of climate change, according to the report. For more information, link to Potential Impacts of Climate Change on U.S. Transportation, TRB Special Report 290.

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The Environmental Protection Agency has developed a new EPA Strategy for Sustainable Ports to help guide its work with public port authorities and other stakeholders on voluntary efforts to reduce environmental impacts of the marine transportation system. The strategy includes over 70 possible actions, such as working with port authorities and other transportation sectors to quantify and reduce air emissions from sources along the shipping supply chain; establishing state funds to helping small owner-operators of diesel equipment to finance upgrades or replacement of older engines; and developing new international standards. For more information, link to Ports on EPA’s Sector Strategies Program website. (3-7-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has published in the Federal Register its decision to deny the California Air Resources Board’s request for a waiver of federal preemption under Section 209(b) of the Clean Air Act for its greenhouse gas regulations for certain new motor vehicles. The decision was based on the EPA administrator’s finding that the state does not need its motor vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions. The agency also has made available on its website documents related to the California’s waiver request. For more information, link to the Federal Register notice and EPA’s California Greenhouse-Gas Waiver Request website. (3-6-08)

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The National Governors Association has published a best practices state resource guide on how alternative fuels and vehicles can help reduce the transportation sector’s reliance on oil and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The guide, developed under NGA’s Security a Clean Energy Future initiative, includes an overview of the economic and environmental implications of an oil-dependent technology sector, reviews alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies currently in use, describes future fuels and technologies, and highlights state policy tools to encourage greener transportation. For more information, link to Greener Fuels, Greener Vehicles: A State Resource Guide. (2-27-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new website highlighting projects that local communities can undertake to reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution, such as diesel engine retrofit programs, improving air quality in schools, and pollution prevention options for small businesses. The new website includes information on the costs of each project and how communities can apply to EPA for grants. For more information, link to the Improving Air Quality in Your Community website. (2-15-08)

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The Transportation Research Board has published 22 peer-reviewed papers that address various environmental issues in its Transportation Research Record Journal, Issue No. 2011. The papers cover diverse subjects including efforts by departments of transportation to develop environmental management systems, vehicle emissions modeling, air quality benefits of freeway high-occupancy vehicle lanes in southern California, use of highway underpasses for large mammals and other wildlife, and others. For more information, link to TRB’s Environmental Issues 2007. (1-18-08)

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The Environmental Protection Agency has posted on its website a new Greenhouse Gas Calculator that converts greenhouse gas-related saving estimates, which typically are expressed in “million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents,’’ into everyday terms. The calculator allows user to view savings in familiar terms such as emissions resulting from driving a particular number of cars for a year, using a particular number of barrels of oil, or providing energy to a particular number of homes for a year. For more information, link to EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator. (2-7-08)

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Highlights of recent developments related to transportation conformity are published by FHWA. For more information, link to Transportation Conformity Highlights December 2007 - January 2008. (2-6-08)

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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Center for Climate Change and Environmental Forecasting has posted a report on the potential impacts of global sea level rise on transportation infrastructure on the U.S. East Coast. The report details findings of a study exploring how predictions of future sea level elevations by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change might affect transportation infrastructure through changing coastlines and resulting periodic flooding. The report documents Phase I of the study, focusing on Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.; the second phase is to be completed in mid-2008 will address the Atlantic Coast of Florida, Delaware, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. For more information link to The Potential Impacts of Global Sea Level Rise on Transportation Infrastructure. (1-23-08)

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A final rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency provides additional flexibility to transportation agencies in meeting the Clean Air Act’s transportation conformity requirements. The rule, which implements provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), provides more time for state and local governments to meet conformity requirements, provides a one-year grace period before the consequences of a conformity lapse apply, allows the option for reducing the time period for conformity determinations, and streamlines provisions. The rule also makes minor changes not related to SAFETEA-LU, including allowing the U.S. DOT to make categorical hot-spot findings for appropriate projects in carbon monoxide nonattainment and maintenance areas. The rule will be effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. A fact sheet and pre-publication version of the final rule are available on EPA’s Transportation Conformity Regulations website. (1-10-08)

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