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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.

• House Select Committee Members Issue Climate Recommendations

  Democrats on the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis have released a plan with recommendations for addressing climate change and resilience. The report, titled “Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just America,” includes a range of recommendations for Congress. The plan sets forth a goal to reduce warming by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and to reach net-zero by 2050. It includes 12 “pillars” on issues including investing in cleaner and more resilient transportation and energy infrastructure, clean energy technologies, environmental justice reforms, and climate adaptation efforts. For more information and summaries, link here. (6-30-20)

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• EPA, NHTSA Issue Final Rule on Auto Efficiency Standards

  The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a joint final rule addressing fuel economy and greenhouse gas emission standards for automobiles and light trucks. The rule will require automakers to increase the fuel efficiency of new vehicles by 1.5% per year through 2026, a relaxation of previous regulations that set the standard at roughly 5% annually. The EPA and NHTSA estimate that these standards, known as corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards, will reduce costs for manufacturers, lower vehicle prices, put safer cars on the road, and make domestic manufacturing more competitive, while still improving fuel economy and reducing GHG emissions. The combined average fuel economy for all passenger cars and light trucks under the rule will be 40.4 mpg and GHG emissions will be about 200 grams per mile by model year 2026. For more information, link to the EPA’s rulemaking page. (3/31/20)

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• Study Looks at Impacts of Covid-19 on Traffic, Fuel Use, Climate Change

  Impacts of mitigating the Covid-19 epidemic include a dramatic reduction in traffic, fuel use, and greenhouse gas emissions, according to a study from the UC Davis Road Ecology Center. The study found that total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) at the county and state level had declined by 61% to 90% following the various government stay-at-home orders. It calculated that emissions of U.S. greenhouse gases that cause climate change were reduced by 4% in total and by 13% from transportation, putting the US on track to meet its annual goals for GHG reduction under the Paris Climate Accord. The study also determined that if traffic remained reduced for one year, the reduction in VMT would allow California to meet half of climate change target of 80% reduction from 1990 levels by 2050. The report also documented the corresponding reduction in fuel tax revenues, including approximately $161 million per week in total fuel tax revenues for California state and local transportation projects. For more information, link to the report. (4-30-20)

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• EPA Updates Local GHG Inventory Tool

  The Environmental Protection Agency has issued an update to its Local Greenhouse Gas Inventory Tool. The tool was developed to help communities across the U.S. evaluate their greenhouse gas emissions by creating an emissions baseline, tracking trends, assess the relative contributions of emissions sources, and other functions. Link here for more information on the tool. (3-19-20)

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• NOAA Announces Increased Weather and Climate Computing Capacity

  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced a significant upgrade to the agency’s computing capacity, storage space, and interconnect speed of its Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System. The agency has commissioned two new Cray supercomputers—one in Phoenix and one in Manassas, Va.—that will improve its ability to run high-resolution climate and Earth system models, and national and global forecasting. For more information, link to the announcement. (2-20-20)

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• New Jersey Unveils Energy Master Plan, Climate Regulatory Agenda

  New Jersey has announced an energy master plan that includes, among other things, a goal of having the state run on 100% clean energy by 2050. The plan defines “clean energy” as 100% carbon-neutral electricity generation and maximum electrification of the transportation and building sectors. In conjunction with the plan, Gov. Phil Murphy has issued an executive order to promulgate regulatory reforms that include an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. The order also calls for revised land use regulations to incorporate climate change resilience into permitting decisions about how and where buildings and infrastructure are built. For more information, link to the announcement. (1-27-20)

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• Twelve States, D.C. Plan Regional Approach to Cap Transportation GHGs

  Twelve states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, along with the District of Columbia, have announced a draft memorandum of understanding as part of the Transportation and Climate Initiative to limit carbon dioxide emissions from cars and trucks through what they are calling a cap-and-invest plan. The MOU, which builds on a framework issued earlier, calls for setting a regional carbon dioxide emissions budget and annually apportioning the budget to each of the participating states, with the budget declining each year. The MOU also calls for the creation of a model rule that will implement the regional GHG cap in each state, include a process for auctioning emission allowances, and require that regulated fuel suppliers hold allowances to cover emissions. Comments are requested, with a due date of Feb. 28, 2020, and the final MOU is expected in the spring of 2020. For more information, link to a webinar slide deck discussing the plan and the draft MOU. (12-17-19)

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• Report Highlights ‘All-In’ Strategy for Climate Action

  A report from the America’s Pledge initiative projects how much a comprehensive national climate strategy could reduce greenhouse gas emissions when layered on top of a “bottom-up” scenario led by states, cities, and businesses. Such an “all-in” strategy could reduce U.S. emissions by 49 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, the report said. The report emphasizes three principles: clean electricity and other energy supplies; decarbonizing energy end-uses in transportation, buildings, and industry, primarily through electrification and efficiency; and enhancing the carbon storage potential of forests, farms, and coastal wetlands. For more information, link to the report. (12-9-19)

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• NOAA Highlights Research on Extreme Events, Human-Caused Climate Change

  An analysis of extreme weather events in 2018 and the extent to which they may have been influenced by human-caused climate change is the subject of research highlighted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA summarized the findings of research published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, which looked at extreme events related to heat, cold, heavy precipitation and flooding, drought, fires, and sea ice. The analysis of data from events in 2018 around the world looked at historical observations and model simulations to determine whether and by how much climate change may have influenced particular extreme events. About 73% of the 168 research findings published in the series identified a substantial link between an extreme event and climate change; about 27 percent did not. For more information, link to the summary and the full report. (12-9-19)

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• UN Report Finds Much Work Still Needed to Limit Climate Change

  The United Nations Environment Programme has issued the 2019 Emissions Gap Report, which compares where greenhouse gas emissions are heading against where they need to be and highlights the best ways to close the gap. The report finds that GHG emissions continue to rise despite scientific warnings on the hazards of climate change and political commitments to address it. The report also finds that some countries are not on track to meet their commitments and many have yet to identify a workable strategy for reducing emissions. In addition, the report finds that, even if fully implemented, current nationally determined reductions will not limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, strengthening such commitments is needed, and decarbonizing the global economy will require fundamental structural changes. For more information, link to the report. (11-26-19)

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• Group Releases Comprehensive Agenda for Decarbonizing U.S. Economy

  The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions has released a comprehensive new agenda for developing policies that will enable the U.S. economy to be carbon neutral by 2050. The agenda addresses the various economic sectors of the nation, including power production, transportation, industry, buildings, land use, and oil and gas development. The agenda also addresses cross-sectoral elements such as carbon capture and storage, digitalization, bioenergy, and hydrogen energy. For transportation, the agenda includes setting federal vehicle standards for greenhouse gases, extending the tax credit for electric vehicles, increased EV charging infrastructure, more multimodal land use planning, and emissions reductions form aviation. For more information, link to the agenda. (11-13-19)

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• Group Issues Updated EV Corridor Tool for Northeast, Mid-Atlantic

  The Georgetown Climate Center has announced the release of the electric vehicle corridor analysis tool version 3.0. The release pairs the tool based on Microsoft Excel with two interactive mapping applications that provide more complex data visualizations using geographic information systems and a simplified real-time display of results. The tool is intended to aid EV charging infrastructure planning by displaying data on the location of existing charging stations, population, vehicle travel data, and commercial activity from Maine to North Carolina. The analysis in the tool was developed through the Transportation and Climate Initiative. For more information, link to the announcement. (10-31-19)

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• Study Analyzes Business Case for Automated Transit Technologies

  The USDOT’s Volpe Center has published an analysis of the cost-effectiveness of transit automation that can help agencies evaluate which technologies may yield returns in the form of reduced labor or operations costs. Five categories of automation were analyzed: transit bus advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS); automated shuttles; automation for maintenance, yard, and parking/storage operations; automation for mobility-on-demand service; and automated bus rapid transit (BRT). The study found that ADAS technologies have a strong business case, with costs for onboard equipment more than offset by long-term savings in fuel, collision costs, and operating costs. The business case for driverless technologies is contingent on additional research. The analysis is follows from a report issued last year by the Federal Transit Administration. For more information, link to the article in the Transportation Research Record. (10-21-19)

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• Report Details Fuel Use, GHG Reductions for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles

  The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have issued a pre-publication draft of phase two research into the technologies and costs of improving fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The report says that the efficiency of gas and diesel engines can be, and still is, being improved. Continued improvements could be based on waste heat recovery systems, better fuel technologies, and more efficient freight capacity. Recommendations include having the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration establish GHG reduction goals for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles consistent with international agreements, and evaluating the life-cycle GHG emissions for fuel-technology pathways that can best accomplish overall goals. The report continues work done previously under phase one of the project. For more information, link to the report. (10-2-19)

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• Report Looks At Future Savings from Low-Carbon Transportation in California

  Transitioning cars and trucks to zero emission vehicles could begin to show cost savings in California by 2030, according to a study from the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis. The study looked at combinations of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and advanced biofuels – including ethanol, diesel biofuels, and renewable natural gas – for internal combustion engines, under several scenarios. The study found that achieving an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide from cars and trucks appears feasible at relatively low cumulative cost. After 2030, savings on the cost of fuel will begin to outweigh the initial higher cost of purchasing the vehicles. For more information, link to the study. (9-26-19)

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• Group Highlights Use of E-Bikes, E-Scooters to Reduce Emissions

  An analysis and infographic posted by the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy highlights how use of electric bikes and electric scooters can help drive action to address climate change. The group stresses that such “micromobility” options offer a convenient first- and last-mile solution to connect to transit in cities, and it also can reduce emissions while helping to shift toward sustainable transportation. For more information, link here. (9-24-19)

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• NGA Issues Paper on Role of States in Electric Vehicle Acceptance

  The National Governors Association has issued a white paper discussing the challenges of and current efforts toward increasing the electrification of the nation’s highway transportation. The white paper says that much is already being done by state governments, including using public funds to increase the number of public charging stations, buying state-owned electric vehicles, and issue purchase rebates or tax credits to purchasers. The white paper also discusses public information efforts to reduce “range anxiety,” addressing equity in electric vehicle use, and methods to address the costs of transitioning the transportation system from fossil fuels to electricity. For more information, link to Transportation Electrification: States Rev Up. (9-16-19)

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• Groups Release Model Policy Toolkit for Electric Vehicles

  An updated version of AchiEVe: Model Policies to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Adoption has been issued by the Sierra Club and Plug In America. The guide reviews the best policies for creating incentives for people to purchase electric vehicles, including rebates and tax credits, incentives to buy used EVs, sales tax exemptions, HOV lane access, and electrifying public and private fleets. The guide also discusses policies for expanding access to public chargers including wiring codes and ordinances, charging in the public right-of-way, EV investments by utilities, and using the Volkswagen settlement funds. In addition, the guide evaluates vehicle registration fees, equity considerations for vehicle purchases, and public education campaigns. For more information, link to the guide. (9-16-19)

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• Minnesota DOT Reports on Ways to Decarbonize Transportation

  Strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Minnesota’s transportation sector are outlined in a report published by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). The report, Pathways to Decarbonizing Transportation, identifies actions and recommendations for reducing transportation-related emissions. These include creating a new Sustainable Transportation Advisory Council, advancing efforts on electric vehicle corridors, identifying clean transportation funding, and analyzing GHG emissions from transportation projects. Other recommendations include adopting clean car standards, expanding biofuel use and infrastructure, and facilitating use of renewable diesel. For more information, link to the report. (9-18-19)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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• 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)

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