Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...

Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Volume 1
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Federal government currently provides $52 billion116 in funding for surface
transportation annually, and Federal statute and regulations establish
requirements for States and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to
undertake planning to determine how to use these resources. The Federal
government also influences the efficiency of the Nation’s air transportation
system by operating the air traffic control system and providing assistance to
improve the capacity and safety of airports, and provides funding for
investments in rail and marine modes as well. Federal leadership on GHG
mitigation and climate change planning can help convey the importance of GHG
reduction to State and local transportation agencies. Furthermore, Federal
coordination of housing, transportation, and environmental policies is key. A
lack of coordination between these policies has contributed to the growth in
vehicle miles traveled and GHG emissions.
Before discussing in more detail integrating climate change considerations into a
transportation planning process, it is important to place this integration into the
broader context of the current planning process. Planning is the informationbased
policy framework by which communities prepare and follow a reasoned
course of action to achieving a desirable future vision. Plans represent blueprints
for communities to follow, enabling them to evolve in an optimal way and
influencing urban and rural development, economic prosperity, environmental
quality, and social equity. Planning is a cooperative process, bringing together a
wide range of perspectives from different people, organizations, and stakeholder
groups to pursue common ground on a variety of issues. As such, it must
consider a wide range of forces—such as mobility, health, economic growth,
environmental sustainability, and land use—in determining a community’s ideal
vision and identifying the priority projects, programs, and strategies for
achieving that vision. The transportation system, and its GHG impact, is one
element among many societal concerns.
Planning includes comprehensive consideration and choice of preferred action
from a range of possible strategies. Successful planning depends upon an
information-driven evaluation process that encompasses diverse viewpoints, the
collaborative participation of relevant agencies and organizations, and open,
timely, and meaningful public involvement. Without broad and meaningful
participation, there is a risk of making poor decisions, or decisions that have
unintended negative consequences. On the other hand, having broad
participation makes it possible for all parties to work together in partnership to
make a lasting contribution to an area’s quality of life. The public includes
anyone who resides, has an interest in, or does business in a given area
potentially affected by the decisions, as well as regional and national
representatives. Federal, State, and local agencies with an interest in the region
116 Not including additional 2009 transportation funding from the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009.