Earlier today, environmental organizations sent the below letter urging the Senate to oppose S.J. Res. 61 & H.J. Res. 114, the Congressional Review Act Resolution to Prevent  Implementation of USDOT Greenhouse Gas Performance Measure Rule

***

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Oppose S.J. Res. 61 & H.J. Res. 114 – Congressional Review Act Resolution to Prevent  Implementation of USDOT Greenhouse Gas Performance Measure Rule

Dear Member of Congress,

We, the undersigned organizations, write to you in strong opposition to S.J. Res. 61 (Cramer)  and H.J. Res. 114 (Crawford), which seek to nullify the US Department of Transportation’s  (USDOT) National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the  National Highway System, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure rule. This rule establishes a  framework for tracking and reporting on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the National  Highway System.

The rule, which uses USDOT’s statutory authority to establish performance measures to  improve accountability and decision-making on federal highway investments, provides states  with a necessary consistent approach to measuring and tracking the GHG impacts of their  transportation investments.

State, regional, and local decision-makers can choose from a wide array of investment options  when determining how to spend federally allocated infrastructure dollars. Setting targets and  tracking emissions give states a baseline to benchmark their progress on climate and can help  them direct the flow of dollars toward projects that have proven community benefits, including  public transit investments, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, transit-oriented development,  and new bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. These investments can make communities safer  and more livable.

States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations have the flexibility to set emissions reduction  targets that are relevant to their demographic conditions, transportation systems, and policy  priorities. Additionally, there are no penalties for not meeting these targets nor will federal  funding be withheld if states do not see progress on GHG emissions reductions from the  National Highway System. Thanks to the rule, state Departments of Transportation have easy  access to the data and tools needed to set targets.

Many states are supportive of the final rule – several have already established their targets and  have also expressed their support to DOT in a January letter to the Biden administration. With  an unprecedented level of funding flowing towards transportation infrastructure from the  Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act, transparent data on the  impacts of those investments is critical and can help inform states’ transitions to a clean,  equitable, and affordable transportation system.

We urge you to vote no on S.J. Res. 61/H.J. Res. 114.

Sincerely,

1000 Friends of Oregon
1000 Friends of Wisconsin
350 Milwaukee
9to5 GA | The National Association of Working Women
A Just Harvest
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) Action Committee for Transit
Active Transportation Alliance
Albany Riverfront Collaborative
Allendale Strong
America Walks
American Society of Landscape Architects
Ample
Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network
Bike Durham
Bridge Forward
Capital Streets
Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT)
Central Maryland Transportation Alliance
Claiborne Avenue Alliance Design Studio
Clean Air Council
Climate Reality Project: Chicago Metro Chapter
Coalition Against the Mid-States Corridor
Coalition for Smarter Growth
Detroit Greenways Coalition
Devou Good Foundation
Earthjustice
Environmental Law & Policy Center
Equiticity
Evergreen Action
Farm&City
Georgia Conservation Voters
Green Energy Institute at Lewis & Clark Law School HEAL Utah
Illinois Environmental Council
It’s Electric, Inc.
Just Strategy – The National Campaign for Transit Justice League of American Bicyclists
League of Conservation Voters
Link Houston
Louisiana 4-Corners Coalition for Transportation Planning Reform Madison Area Bus Advocates
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
Michigan Environmental Council
Mobilify Southwestern Pennsylvania
Move LA
MOVE Ohio
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS)
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Neighbors for Clean Air
New Jersey Future
New Urban Mobility Alliance (NUMO)
No More Freeways
North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association (NABSA) Oregon Environmental Council
Oregon Walks
Partnership for Smarter Growth
Pedestrian Dignity
Philadelphia Solar Energy Association
Pittsburghers for Public Transit
Planning and Conservation League
Plug In America
PolicyLink
POWER Interfaith
Propel ATL
Quaker Action – Mid Atlantic Region (QAMAR)
Rails to Trails Conservancy
Reconnect Rochester
Rethink35
Riders Alliance
Seamless Bay Area
Sierra Club
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Southern Environmental Law Center
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
Stop the 101 & 280 Widenings in San Mateo and San Francisco Counties Coalition Sustain Charlotte
Syracuse Univ
The Piedmont Environmental Council
The Street Trust
Together for Brothers (T4B)
Transit Alliance Miami
Transit Forward Philadelphia
Transportation Choices Coalition
Transportation for America
Transportation for Massachusetts
Union of Concerned Scientists
Virginia Conservation Network
Walkable Albany
Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance
Working for Justice Ministry, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Allison Park, PA