New set of rules comes a day after new alternative fuel corridor designations to build a national EV infrastructure
The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration has announced a set of measures to help states and municipalities to track and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The new rule, announced on July 7, would establish a national framework to track state-by-state progress by adding a new GHG performance management measure to the existing national performance measures of the Federal Highway Administration to help states track performance and make more informed investment decisions. This would also create a flexible system under which State DOTs and MPOs would set their own declining targets for on-road greenhouse gas emissions from roadway travel on the National Highway System.
The announcement comes a day after the USDOT announced the latest round of Alternative Fuel Corridor designations. The new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program, established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides for funding to designated EV Alternative Fuel Corridors to serve as the backbone for the national electric vehicle charging network. With 249 new designations, corridors now cover 85% of the National Highway System.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes more than USD 27 billion in federal funding available to State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to meet their declining GHG targets. The new rule is set to be published in the Federal Register next week.
“With today’s announcement, we are taking an important step forward in tackling transportation’s share of the climate challenge, and we don’t have a moment to waste,” US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, said in a statement. “Our approach gives states the flexibility they need to set their own emission reduction targets, while providing them with resources from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to meet those targets and protect their communities.”
Once the new rule is in play, State DOTs and MPOs will be required to report their progress every two years on how they are meeting the targets they establish, while the Federal Highway Administration would be required to assess those reports.
How the new rule would help
Transportation is the leading source of GHGs in the US, contributing to 27 per cent of the country’s total GHG emissions in 2020, according to the Environment Protection Agency. The current Administration has put forward an integrated approach to reducing emissions from the transportation sector, which entails the use of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to help state and local governments meet their GHG reduction targets.
“Every state and local government in this country is seeing the impacts of climate change on their communities and infrastructure. States have a critical role to play as we work nationwide to bring down greenhouse gas emissions and slow those impacts,” added Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “State laws already require 24 states and the District of Columbia to set targets and track their greenhouse gas emissions and this proposed rule would bring this locally proven approach to scale nationwide.”
With the new rule, the government aims to transform the transportation sector from leading source of emissions to becoming a part of the solution. It seeks to standardize practices that many states have already established, and make data comparable across state lines and metropolitan areas, and by facilitate better planning and outcomes for local communities.
The rule aligns with the Administration’s net-zero targets as outlined in the national policy established under Executive Orders “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis,” and “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.”
Carbon reduction program under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is available through various programs over five years. This includes programs such as the Carbon Reduction Program, which is set to provide USD 6.4 billion in formula funding to states and local governments to develop carbon reduction strategies and fund a wide range of projects designed to reduce carbon emissions from on-road highway sources. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program is expected to provide USD 5 billion to states to build a national electric vehicle charging network.
While the program for Discretionary Grant Program for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure will provide USD 2.5 billion in competitive funding to states and local governments to deploy electric vehicle charging and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors and in communities, under the Congestion Relief Program, USD 250 million has been set aside in competitive funding to advance innovative, multimodal solutions to reduce congestion and related economic and environmental costs in the most congested metropolitan areas of the country. The Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Program sets aside USD 400 million in competitive funding to reduce truck idling and emissions at ports, including through the advancement of port electrification.
Additionally, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides for more than USD 5 billion for the Federal Transit Administration’s Low or No Emission Vehicle Program, and USD 7.2 billion for the Transportation Alternatives Set-Asidethat will help state and local governments carry out environmentally friendly pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure projects. Finally, the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Program provides USD 69-million funding to local communities to integrate land use and transportation planning with new fixed guideway or core capacity transit capital investment projects. The Infrastructure Law also expands funding opportunities through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing programs.
Together, the programs are aimed at encouraging public transportation and other integrated land use and transportation projects and strategies that would reduce air pollution and help state and local governments meet the emissions reduction targets this proposed rule would require them to set for themselves.
Update on the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program
With the July 6 announcement, Alternative Fuel Corridor designations are now found in all 50 states, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico, covering 190,000 of the 222,000 miles of the National Highway System, a network of roadways important to the Nation’s economy, defense, and mobility, together accounting for 55 per cent of Vehicle Miles Travelled nationally.
The USDOT claims that coupled with funding from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the private sector investment the law is spurring, Alternative Fuel Corridors are accelerating the availability of EV charging stations near national highways across the country.
“We’re pleased to announce the latest round of Alternative Fuel Corridor designations, which will accelerate deployment of an EV charging network that cover every part of our country,”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement.
“Having a national EV charging network is key to our transition to electric and alternative fuel vehicles, which in turn will save drivers money and reduce emissions that worsen climate change,” Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack added.
Earlier this year, the USDOT had announced about USD 5 billion over the next five years under the NEVI Program to help states build out a national electric vehicle charging network, followed by proposed minimum standards to help ensure the national EV charging network is user-friendly, reliable, and accessible to everyone.
