Higher Gas Prices Alone Won’t Make Cleaner Cars a Reality
The average carbon emissions of U.S. vehicles. (Image: EPA) It’s a storyline that the media and the auto industry have embraced: Higher gas prices are the magic ingredient that U.S. carmakers need in order to sell more fuel-efficient vehicles to consumers. The narrative is tempting, especially for those who believe federal gas taxes need to … Continued
November 24, 2009
Senate Health Bill Holds Onto Grants For Healthier Transportation
Back in June, when the Senate was in the early stages of its marathon health care reform debate, several Republicans blasted
the proposed legislation for including a grant program aimed at
encouraging construction of local infrastructure to promote healthier
movement.
November 23, 2009
To Thrive, Suburbs Might Become More Urban
A very interesting article in USA Today on the future viability of suburbs came up in our Twitter feed this morning, via Community Research Partners of Columbus, Ohio.
November 20, 2009
A Warning From America’s Cities: The Recession Has Only Just Begun to Hit
President Obama may be optimistic about continued U.S. economic growth as 2009 ends, but the reality on the ground in urban America — which an estimated two-thirds of the population calls home — is undeniably, disturbingly bleak. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (Photo: PennLive) That was the message delivered today by two economists and a bipartisan … Continued
November 19, 2009
‘This Needs Attention’: Senators Seek Shot in the Arm on Transportation
Senate environment committee chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and fellow
lawmakers today pressed the Obama administration to take a more active
role in ending the current political stalemate over federal
transportation funding, but the sense of urgency they sought emerged
only intermittently during an 80-minute session on infrastructure.
November 19, 2009
Bipartisan Support Builds for Six-Month Extension of Current Transpo Law
The senior Republicans on three of the Senate's four
infrastructure-centric committees signed a bipartisan letter on Tuesday
asking the leaders of Congress' upper chamber to call up a six-month
extension of the 2005 transportation law.
November 18, 2009
Introducing the Samuelson Gas Tax Increase: A Penny Every Month
Democratic lawmakers are discussing the possibility of a one-year
stopgap transportation bill but have yet to reach consensus on how to
pay for the measure, Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) said today.
November 17, 2009
Dems, AFL-CIO Step Up Push for Infrastructure Spending as Job Creator
AFL-CIO
President Richard Trumka today called for more investments in
infrastructure as one plank of a job creation proposal that he plans to
bring to the White House employment summit next month -- as
congressional Democrats continued jockeying over how and whether to
pursue and long-term transportation bill in the coming months.
November 17, 2009
Feds Propose to Expand Opportunities for Biking and Walking to Transit
When it comes to infrastructure improvements that encourage more people
to walk or bicycle to transit stations, how long will commuters be
willing to travel? The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has
officially answered that question, proposing a significant expansion of
the rules governing how close bike-ped projects should be to transit in
order to receive government funding.
November 16, 2009
Which is the Fastest-Rising U.S. Emissions Source: Transport or Electricity?
The climate change bills being considered by Congress treat electric utilities very well, giving more than a third
of the revenue generated by CO2 regulation away -- for free -- to power
providers. This move pleased coal country Democrats while seeking to lock down benefits for consumers by averting electricity rate hikes.
November 12, 2009