Print

Energy/Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Recent Developments

This section describes recent developments related to transportation-related sustainability. If you would like to suggest a recent development on this topic, please submit a short description to AASHTO (including any pertinent links) on the Share Info with AASHTO form.

• DOE Issues Assessment of Plug-in Electric Vehicles in the United States

  The Energy Department’s Argonne National Laboratory has issued an assessment of the state of the light-duty plug-in electric vehicle fleet in the United States from 2010 to 2018. The report examines vehicle sales, miles driven, electricity consumption, petroleum reduction, vehicle manufacturing, and battery production. The report finds, among other things, that battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles reduced gasoline consumption nationwide by 0.23% in 2018 and by 950 million gallons cumulatively. The report also finds that over the review time frame, the electric vehicles reduced a total of 4.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. For more information, link to the report. (March 2019)

  [close]

• Protocol for Accounting, Reporting of GHGs Developed

  A protocol to help local governments account for and report greenhouse gas emissions has been developed by ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability. It provides a detailed technical document with cutting-edge methodologies and best practices to help local governments measure and report the emissions associated with their communities. The Forest and Land Use Appendix of the protocol provides, for the first time, guidance to U.S. communities for estimating the emissions and removals from forests. For more information and access to the tool, link here. (8-19-19)

  [close]

• Report Estimates Benefits of EVs in Uber and Lyft Services

  The National Center for Sustainable Transportation has issued a research report on the potential emissions benefits from increased electric vehicle use in transportation network company (TNC) fleets. The report says that drivers for TNCs such as Uber and Lyft travel more miles than average and have higher passenger occupancy. The report says that increased use of electric vehicles by TNC fleets would provide substantial emissions benefits, and that more public charging stations are needed to meet the demand created by electric vehicles in TNC fleets. Because TNCs typically don’t own the vehicles, states and local governments would need to create appropriate incentives to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. For more information, link to the report. (8-13-19)

  [close]

• NOAA Issues Report on the State of the Climate in 2018

  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a new State of the Climate report that documents climate trends in 2018. The report says that data show that 2018 ranks as the fourth warmest year since recordkeeping began over 150 years ago. The report also says that global sea level was highest on record, and the global average sea level rose to a new record high for the seventh consecutive year. Additionally, the report documents the data on various types of greenhouse gases; temperatures throughout the atmosphere, the ocean, and over land; cloud cover; ocean salinity; sea ice extent; and snow cover. The State of the Climate in 2018 is the 29^th edition in a peer-reviewed series published annually. For more information, link to highlights of the report. (8-12-19)

  [close]

• Alternative Fuels Corridor Funding Solicitation Announced

  The Federal Highway Administration has announced an applied research funding opportunity for transportation agencies to assist with planning for the deployment of alternative vehicle fueling and charging facilities along Interstate corridors with the goal of filling gaps and designating the corridor as “corridor-ready.” The FHWA also has issued a revised handout discussing the current status of alternative fuel corridors nationwide. The deadline for submitting applications for funding is Sept. 9, 2019, and funding decisions will be announced later in the fall. For more information, link to the solicitation and the revised handout. (8-7-19)

  [close]

• CEQ Issues Draft Guidance on Considering GHGs under NEPA

  The White House Council on Environmental Quality has issued draft guidance for how federal agencies should consider greenhouse gas emissions in conducting environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act. Unlike prior guidance, which said environmental impact statements should include an estimate of projects’ greenhouse gas emissions, the draft guidance calls for such projections only when they are “substantial enough to warrant quantification, and when it is practicable” to do so. Comments on the draft will be accepted until July 26. For more information, link to the draft guidance. (6-26-19)

  [close]

• Report Describes Federal, State Efforts on Electric Vehicle Deployment

  A report describing federal and state policies on vehicle electrification has been issued by the Congressional Research Service. The report provides an overview of federal incentives, such as tax credits for vehicles and fueling infrastructure as well as investments in research and development. Other federal efforts include the Energy Department’s Clean Cities Program, and the Transportation Department’s Alternative Fuel Corridors program. On the state level, 45 states and the District of Columbia offer incentives such as income tax credits for electric vehicle and charger purchases, reduced registration fees, and permitting solo drivers of electric vehicles to use carpool lanes. California’s Zero Emission Vehicle program also is spurring vehicle sales. For more information, link to the report. (6-3-19)

  [close]

• NACTO Announces Bike, Transit Assistance for Five Cities

  The National Association of City Transportation Officials has announced a partnership to provide technical assistance to five cities to help them develop and build high-quality bike or transit corridors designed to attract riders and reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles. The cities, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia, will be using NACTO’s Program Accelerator model, which helps users create a vision, then refine and build internal consensus for bike and transit projects. The participating cities will be able to learn from NACTO’s data on similar efforts in other cities. NACTO will be partnering with the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge and the Natural Resources Defense Council. For more information, link to the announcement. (5-15-19)

  [close]

• DOE National Labs, Exxon Partner on Researching Lower GHG Technologies

  A joint research agreement between ExxonMobil and the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and National Energy Technology Laboratory will invest $10 million per year for 10 years toward research and development to explore ways to bring biofuels and carbon capture and storage to commercial scale across several economic sectors including transportation, power generation, and manufacturing. Over time, the research ultimately will seek to introduce innovative, economical, and lower-emission technologies to the market. For more information, link to the announcement. (5-8-19)

  [close]

• CEQ Issues Agency Energy Management Instructions

  The White House Council on Environmental Quality has issued instructions to federal agencies on how to meet performance standards under the May 17, 2018, Executive Order 13834, “Efficient Federal Operations.” The order requires agencies to reduce building energy use, implement energy efficiency measures that reduce costs, and meet other sustainability criteria. The order also addresses statutory requirements concerning the consumption of renewable energy and electricity. The instructions provide details on how agencies are to track and report data regarding, among other things, energy management, greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable buildings, fleets, and supply chains. For more information, link to the Federal Register notice. (5-3-19)

  [close]

• NREL Issues Assessment of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure in Maryland

  The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has issued an assessment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Maryland. The report evaluates Maryland’s current situation and makes recommendations regarding the expansion required for the state to be capable of supporting 300,000 zero emission vehicles by 2025. The analysis makes assumptions regarding travel patterns and includes discussion of variations in the ZEV fleet, evolving consumer preferences, and the availability of residential charging. For more information, link to the report. (February 2019)

  [close]

• EPA Reports Record Fuel Economy, Meeting of Greenhouse Gas Standards

  The Environmental Protection Agency has released an annual report that provides information about new light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fuel economy, technology data, and automobile manufacturers' performance in meeting emissions standards. The Automotive Trends Report finds that the aggregate fuel economy of the model year 2017 U.S. fleet continues to demonstrate improvement, and that such improvement has been seen in 11 of the last 13 model years. The report also shows that all manufacturers are in compliance with the national GHG emission standards. In addition, the U.S. experienced a record high fuel economy and record low GHG emissions in 2017. For more information, link to the report. (3-6-19)

  [close]

• Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge Adds Five Winners

  Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced that Albuquerque, Austin, Denver, Orlando, and San Antonio have been included as winners of the American Cities Climate Challenge. Bloomberg Philanthropies recently announced that it would expand the challenge, which is for cities to advance their efforts to address climate change, to include a total of 25 cities. The initiative will provide $70 million help cities implement solutions that are addressed in the Paris Agreement, reduce emissions in the building and transportation sectors, foster local and regional collaboration, and share best practices. For more information, link to the announcement. (1-11-19)

  [close]

• FHWA Updates Guide on Renewable Energy in Highway ROWs

  The Federal Highway Administration has updated its “Quick Guide” on requirements for energy projects in highway rights-of-way. Presented in a question-and-answer format, the guide is intended to point state DOTs and FHWA division offices to relevant FHWA requirements and needed approvals. FHWA also has made available reports from recent related peer exchanges that brought together multiple state DOTs. The events were held in Maryland, Utah, Missouri, and Massachusetts. FHWA also has highlighted the topic in the Winter 2019 issue of Public Road magazine. For more information, link to FHWA’s Renewable Energy Projects in Highway ROW web page. (1-25-19)

  [close]

«View Recent Developments Archive