We Need to Expand Al Gore's Vision

by: commonweal

Mon Jul 21, 2008 at 10:42:43 AM EDT

My only quibble with Mr. Gore's speech, however, is that he said little about transportation and land use policies.  Less auto-dependent development is key if we are to mitigate climate change.  Since 1980, the number of miles Americans drive has grown three times faster than population, and almost twice as fast as vehicle registrations. Sprawling development is a key factor for this rate of growth.  As the 2007 publication Growing Cooler: The Evidence on Urban Development and Climate Change by the Urban Land Institute warns,

if sprawling development continues to fuel growth in driving, the projected 48 percent increase in the total miles driven between 2005 and 2030 will overwhelm expected gains from vehicle efficiency and low-carbon fuels. Even if the most stringent fuel-efficiency proposals under consideration are enacted, notes co-author Steve Winkelman, "vehicle emissions still would be 34 percent above 1990 levels in 2030 - entirely off-track from reductions of 60-80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 required for climate protection."

Depending on several factors, from mix of land uses to pedestrian-friendly design, compact development reduces driving from 20 to 40 percent, and more in some instances.  According to the authors, shifting 60 percent of new growth to compact patterns would save 79 million tons of CO2 annually by 2030. The savings over that period equate to a 28 percent increase in federal vehicle efficiency standards by 2020 (to 32 mpg), comparable to proposals now being debated in Congress.

And speaking of Congress, 41 members of that illustrious body recently wrote a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging Congress to address transportation issues in forthcoming legislation on climate change.  Authored by Ellen Tauscher (D, CA-10) and Earl "the Bike" Blumenauer (D, OR-03, the letter noted that

surface transportation produces one-third of the United States' greenhouse gases, and sixty percent of these emissions come from personal vehicle use. Last year, Congress demonstrated leadership on climate change by raising CAFE standards to thirty-five miles per gallon by 2020. However, recent studies suggest that the expected increase in Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMTs) will negate both higher CAFE standards and a reduction of carbon content in fuel. If VMTs are not reduced, transportation sector emissions will rise forty percent above 1990 levels by 2030.

Through climate change legislation, we believe that Congress should encourage greater use of VMT-reducing strategies, especially public transportation. Significant funds should be dedicated to increase public transit, intercity passenger rail, freight rail capacity, intelligent transportation systems, and bicycle and pedestrian alternatives. In addition, the legislation should encourage smart growth and transit-oriented development.

So let's add to Al Gore's vision:  comprehensive Smart Growth legislation in Connecticut within five years.  It will help save the environment, create jobs, and most importantly, ensure a healthy  and sustainable planet for the next generation.

H.R.6495

by: commonweal

Fri Jul 18, 2008 at 09:52:31 AM EDT

Increase Commuter Choices and Provide Funding to Become Less Oil-Dependent

•    Equalize the transportation fringe benefit so that those who commute by public transportation get as much as those who commute by driving.

•    Allow employees to cash-in their parking benefits to spend on other choices that better meet their needs.

•    Extend the same transportation fringe benefits to bike commuters as provided for those who commute by car or transit.

•    Extend transportation fringe benefits to individuals who are self-employed.

•    Create a tax credit for vanpool expenses and services for those who share their commutes.

•    Create a tax credit for qualified employers and employees who telecommute.

•    Provide commuters information on transportation choices, through educational programs such as Metro's "Drive Less, Save More" program; grants to support carpooling and vanpooling programs; informational websites and other materials.

Help Transit Agencies

•    Help transit agencies cope with rising fuel prices and increasing demand by providing federal funds for fare subsidies, service improvements, fuel purchases, and technology assistance.

•    Make it easier to get federal funding for streetcars by requiring the FTA to consider a Streetcar project's contributions to land use, density, economic development, and carbon emission reductions in considering it for federal funding.

Assist Communities

•    Double the authorized funding for the national Safe Routes to School program, to make it possible for more children to walk and bike to school safely; expand this program to include high schools.

•    Provide federal grants to improve communities' transportation choices, such as travel demand management strategies, carpool or telecommuting projects, upgrades to streets to facilitate bicycle and pedestrian use, intelligent transportation improvements to reduce congestion, and car-sharing and bike sharing programs.

•    Provide a special set-aside to ensure that rural communities have access to federal funds for improving transportation choices.

Provide Housing Assistance

•    Increase availability of Location-Efficient Mortgages (LEM) for homes located near public transportation. This increases the borrowing power of home buyers who choose to drive less, since they don't have to spend as much income owning and operating automobiles.

•    Provide funds to help states acquire, construct, and preserve affordable housing close to public transit.

•    Require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to develop a standard that measures the transportation costs associated with a home's location, enabling Real Estate agents to provide this information to prospective buyers.

Require the Federal Government to Lead by Example

•    Expand transportation fringe benefits to all federal employees.

•    Encourage Federal agencies to participate in local transportation management associations that promote more efficient use of transportation and parking resources.

The bill is supported by Smart Growth America, National Resources Defense Council, American Public Transportation Association, and the Association for Commuter Transportation.