Streetsblog Los Angeles

Energy and Commerce Committee, has just struck a deal on his long-awaited climate change bill -- and though the agreement makes a number of concessions to polluters, it also takes a step forward towards popularizing the cause of "complete streets".

The House climate bill requires every state and metropolitan area with more than 200,000 residents to devise plans for reducing transportation-related carbon emissions. The bill directs states and localities to draft plans that "consider transportation and land use strategies" that encourage transit use, walking and bike riding, as well as equal access by all users.

In short, the House climate bill officially sets "complete streets" principles as planning goals for state and local transportation officials. The DOT and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would enforce the deadlines for each state and local transportation emissions-reduction plan and hand out grants to help areas implement innovative strategies for diminishing auto dependence.

The funding for those grants would have to come from future spending bills, not from the auctions of carbon-emissions permits to polluting industries -- the so-called CLEAN TEA plan that Transportation for America and other advocacy groups have been hoping for.

Today's deal would auction only 15 percent of the emissions permits, giving the rest away free to coal companies, electric utilities and the auto industry. Why did CLEAN TEA fall by the wayside? Sadly, Democrats from coal- and oil-dominant states were prepared to bring down Waxman's bill unless their hometown industries got emissions permits for free. Even those Democrats who are still fighting to make polluting industries pay for their permits want the revenue to go back to the public in the form of tax credits, rather than to green transportation.

As Waxman's climate bill takes flak from environmentalists who (rightly) lament its giveaways to industry, should the very presence of "complete streets" language in the bill be considered a minor victory? Or is the climate deal just another example of Congress kowtowing to Big Carbon?

The fight to preserve and expand funding for bicycle, pedestrian and transit projects in the federal stimulus package isn't over just yet.  Because the Senate and House of Representatives didn't pass identical bills, the two sides will each send five members to a conference committee to hammer out the differences before it is signed by President Obama.  A report from the committee could come as soon as later today.

The bad news is that alternative transportation usually doesn't fare well once "compromises" are ironed out by politicians.  The good news is Angelenos can still have a large say in what comes out of that committee. 

Congressman Henry Waxman, a progressive Congressman from the Westside, is one of the ten members on the committee.  Because time is short, you should pick up the phone and call Waxman the moment you stop reading this article at either his Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-3976 or his district office at (323) 651-1040.

If you're looking for some verbal ammo before you make the call, I recommend reading yesterday's Streetsblog article on the passage of the stimulus or Portland Congressman Earl Blumenauer's piece in the Huffington Post about why bicycle funding should be preserved.

Joining Waxman from the House side are Reps. David Obey, D-Wis., Charles Rangel, D-N.Y, , Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., and Mike Camp, R-Mich.  The Senators on the committee are Harry Reid D-Nev., Max Baucus, D-Mont., Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, Thad Cochran, R-Mo., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.

If you wish to give Lewis a call also, he can be reached at his Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-5861 or his San Bernadino district office at (909) 862-6030.

Update: NYC Streetsblog has some tips and talking points from the Thunderhead Alliance.  Just take out that stuff about Charlie Rangel and change it to Henry Waxman and you're set.)