Greenhouse Gas Performance Management Rule Offers Unprecedented Opportunity to Reduce Pollution & Deliver Climate-Smart Transportation Infrastructure

In response to the Federal Highway Administration’s new proposed Greenhouse Gas Performance Management Rule, Evergreen Action Chief of Staff Lena Moffitt released the following statement:

“The proposed Greenhouse Gas Performance Management Rule is a strong step to ensure states drive down greenhouse gas pollution from the most climate polluting sector of our economy. We are encouraged to see the Department of Transportation (DOT) taking necessary action in line with Evergreen’s recommendations to ensure investments in America’s 21st century transportation infrastructure can be deployed in a way that will help deliver on President Biden’s climate commitments. Over the next few years, states will have access to over $27 billion in highly flexible IIJA funding that can and must be allocated to support ambitious emission reduction strategies. Governors and state transportation officials have an unprecedented opportunity to set ambitious targets and make climate-smart investments in their transportation future. 

“As the performance management rule is finalized, the Federal Highway Administration must have an implementation plan in place to ensure all states set and meet declining annual targets that are ambitious and meaningful. DOT should also work with states to ensure they adopt annual targets and emission reduction approaches that aggressively tackle the burden of pollution and increase transportation access in the Black, Brown, and low income frontline communities that have suffered from historic underinvestment and are experiencing disproportionate impacts from the accelerating climate crisis. This kind of rulemaking, paired with investments from Congress to support state climate leadership, is exactly what we should be seeing from an administration that promised whole-of-government action on climate.”

As Evergreen called for in its 5 to Mobilize recommendations for the Department of Transportation and detailed in 10 Climate Actions Democrats Can Take After West Virginia v. EPA, the Greenhouse Gas Performance Management Rule is a vital tool to support investments in alternative transportation modes, better protect disadvantaged communities, and advance President Biden’s climate agenda.

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