Adding More Transportation to the Climate Change Mix
Nate Silver's new analysis
of the state of play on climate change in the Senate makes a convincing
argument that a carbon cap-and-trade system can become law this year.
July 6, 2009
New Report on Old Roads Uses Old Assumptions
A new report on the costs of aging roads has gotten a lot of attention over the past week, with both Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the Washington Post touting its conclusion on the danger of "deficient roadways."
July 6, 2009
Cities See Population Gains — But What About Political Power?
The Census Bureau has just released new data showing a resurgence of the nation's cities, with New York leading the way and Chicago reversing five years of population decline.
July 1, 2009
EPA Okays Stronger Auto Emissions Standards Now in CA, 13 Other States
(Photo: theweeklydriver.com) The Environmental Protection Agency today granted California’s request for a waiver allowing greater limits on auto tailpipe emissions, a move that effectively speeds up the phasing-in of the Obama administration’s fuel-efficiency standards in as many as 13 other states. The EPA billed its decision, which was widely expected and fulfills a campaign promise … Continued
June 30, 2009
Lawmakers Investigating the Resignation of Amtrak’s In-House Watchdog
The House oversight committee has launched an official inquiry
into the resignation of Amtrak's veteran inspector general (IG) earlier
this month -- on the same day that an outside law firm reported on
alleged interference with his work by management at the rail
corporation.
June 30, 2009
House Climate Bill on Green Transpo: The Details
Late Update: An earlier version of this post used the
committee-approved version of
the climate bill rather than the final, House-passed version. The
climate bill's identifying number was changed at the last minute, from
the original H.R. 2454 to H.R. 2998, which can be downloaded at the
fourth link from the top on the House Rules Committee's website. Streetsblog Capitol Hill regrets the error.
June 29, 2009
The Wall Street Tax Shelter That Crashed Your Local Transit Agency
The D.C. Metro accident that killed nine riders this week has renewed calls for rail safety upgrades and reminders that car travel remains far riskier
than transit. But the crash is also shedding light on a problem that
goes beyond Washington: tax shelter deals between banks and struggling
transit agencies -- deals that were given a retroactive pass by
Congress even though the IRS considers them illegal.
June 26, 2009
Ohio Republican Senator: Voinovich: Business Buy-in Can Get Transportation Bill Done
George Voinovich (R-OH) may be the only senator who wants to forget about an 18-month extension of existing transportation law and move ahead quickly on broad reform. But that doesn't mean he's giving up.
June 25, 2009
Boxer: Forget Transportation Bill, Work with Me on Something Else
Green transportation advocates are pressing Congress
to refuse any new spending that's not tied to reform of the existing
system -- a call that influential senators in both parties ruled out
today.
June 25, 2009
The High-Speed Rail Numbers Game: Is $13 Billion and 110 MPH Enough?
High-speed rail is one of the Obama administration's most prized policy goals, with $13 billion getting earmarked in the coming year alone to help break ground on up to 11 proposed regional corridors. But what will the U.S. get for its money? A lively Senate hearing yesterday attempted to answer that question.
June 24, 2009