Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Tool
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) within the U.S. Department of Transportation disclosed a concluded performance measure. This measure is designed to furnish State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with a standardized national framework for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) linked to transportation. Additionally, it grants these entities the flexibility to establish their own goals for GHG reduction.
According to Federal Highway Administration, in support of President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to cutting carbon pollution in half by 2030, FHWA is taking two important steps toward addressing the impacts of climate change with today’s announcement:
- Adding a new greenhouse gas performance management measure to the existing FHWA national performance measures to establish a national framework to help states track performance and make more informed investment decisions
- Creating a flexible system under which state DOTs and MPOs will set their own targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from roadway travel.
“Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and reducing emissions from that sector while ensuring our economy works for everyday Americans is critical to addressing the climate crisis,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “We don’t expect state DOTs and MPOs to solve a problem this large on their own, which is why this performance measure does not impose penalties for those who miss their targets.”
