Moving Towards A Safe Climate Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to publish a national strategic action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector to the emissions target by the year 2040. (The emissions target is a level of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector that does not exceed 20 percent of the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States for the year 2005, as determined by the Environmental Protection Agency.)
The plan may include criteria such as (1) strategies that increase the usage of passenger rail, public transportation systems, walking, cycling, and other low-carbon modes of transportation; (2) strategies and policies that reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled; (3) recommendations for tax incentives for the adoption of technology that produces low levels of greenhouse gas emissions; and (4) the development of transportation technology that dramatically reduces existing greenhouse gas emissions or produces low levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
The bill requires each state to develop a strategic action plan. DOT may withhold funding from states beginning in FY2023 until it determines that the state's strategic plan complies with criteria under the national plan.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6171 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6171
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to publish a national
strategic action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the
transportation sector, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 10, 2020
Mr. Lipinski introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to publish a national
strategic action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the
transportation sector, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Moving Towards A Safe Climate Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) In 2018, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change released a report that found that global warming
could reach 1.5 degrees Celsius above average temperature
levels by the year 2030.
(2) The report outlined the potential impacts and
associated risks of a temperature increase of 1.5 degrees
Celsius, including increasing--
(A) intensity and frequency of droughts;
(B) frequency and amount of heavy precipitation;
and
(C) other extreme weather events.
(3) The report found that in order to avoid the impacts of
a temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius, greenhouse gas
emissions must be reduced--
(A) between 40 to 60 percent below the level of
greenhouse gas emissions recorded in the year 2010 by
the year 2030; and
(B) to net zero emissions by the year 2050.
(4) According to a report by the Environmental Protection
Agency entitled ``Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions
and Sinks'', transportation activities accounted for the
largest portion (approximately 29.9 percent) of total
greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in 2017.
(5) The Secretary of Transportation has a leading role in
reducing United States greenhouse gas emissions since
transportation activities continue to account for a large
portion of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
(6) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will demonstrate
adherence to the commitments of the United States under the
Paris Agreement, and any other similar international climate
change agreements.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS.
(a) Requirement.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, using the best available science
and in collaboration with the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, shall publish an action plan known as the ``National
Strategic Action Plan'' (in this Act referred to as the ``action
plan'') to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector
to the emissions target by the year 2040.
(b) Content.--The action plan may include--
(1) The implementation of strategies that increase the
usage of passenger rail, public transportation systems,
walking, cycling, and other low-carbon modes of transportation
including--
(A) improvements to infrastructure; and
(B) changes to engineering and design guidelines,
including the Manual on Uniform Control Devices for
Streets and Highways or current design criteria
codified under part 625, title 23 of the United States
Code of Federal Regulations.
(2) Strategies and policies that reduce Vehicle Miles
Traveled (VMT), including--
(A) the promotion of transit oriented or transit
accessible development;
(B) access to jobs and services as a metric to
measure transportation success instead of level of
service; and
(C) more efficient land use or walkable
communities;
(3) recommendations for tax incentives for the adoption of
technology that produces low levels of greenhouse gas
emissions;
(4) the development of transportation technology that
dramatically reduces existing greenhouse gas emissions or
produces low levels of greenhouse gas emissions, including--
(A) alternative fuels;
(B) zero-emissions vehicles and associated charging
infrastructure;
(C) intelligent transportation systems or advanced
data; and
(D) emissions capture technologies; and
(5) recommendations for changes to DOT grant criteria,
Federal surface transportation policy, and Federal regulations
that would prioritize investments supporting these goals.
(c) Consultation.--In developing the action plan, the Secretary
shall consult with--
(1) other Federal agencies, as appropriate;
(2) individuals from--
(A) the business community, including trade
associations and small business owners;
(B) labor organizations;
(C) the environmental community;
(D) the public health community;
(E) the defense community; and
(F) the scientific community, including the
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine, organizations that further the scientific
profession, and institutions of higher education;
(G) transportation experts, including walking,
biking, and public transit advocates;
(3) representatives from State, Tribal, and local
governments, including State transportation departments and
metropolitan planning organizations; and
(4) other organizations that the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(d) Public Comment.--In developing the action plan, the Secretary
shall make the draft action plan available for public comment for at
least 60 days, and issue a response to public comments received within
90 days of the end of the comment period.
(e) Revision.--Not later than 6 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and every 4 years thereafter until the year
2040, the Secretary shall revise the action plan.
(f) State Strategic Action Plan.--
(1) Withholding of funds.--For fiscal year 2023, and each
fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall withhold 5 percent
of the amount required to be apportioned to a State under
section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, until the
Secretary determines that a strategic action plan submitted to
the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (2) complies with the
criteria developed pursuant to such paragraph.
(2) State criteria.--Not later than 2 years after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop criteria
for each State to submit a strategic action plan to the
Secretary not later than fiscal year 2023, and every 4 years
thereafter until the year 2040, to achieve the emissions target
by the year 2040, with consideration given to the greenhouse
gas emissions of each such State.
(g) Report to Congress.--Not later than 4 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, and every 4 years thereafter until the year
2040, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on--
(1) the following information for each State--
(A) total greenhouse gas emissions from
transportation;
(B) greenhouse gas emissions per capita;
(C) vehicle miles traveled per capita; and
(D) average vehicle fleet efficiency;
(2) actions taken to achieve the emissions target; and
(3) progress with respect to achieving the emissions
target.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Emissions target.--The term ``emissions target'' means
a level of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation
sector that does not exceed 20 percent of the level of
greenhouse gas emissions in the United States for the year
2005, as determined by the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency.
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(3) Metropolitan planning organization.--The term
``metropolitan planning organization'' has the meaning given
the term under section 134 of title 23, United States Code.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the
term under section 101 of title 23, United States Code.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.
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