HR 1780 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Clean Air Act to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions through transportation efficiency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

March 30, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Ms. MATSUI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and CommerceCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Clean Air Act to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions through transportation efficiency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Smart Planning for Smart Growth Act of 2009’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS THROUGH TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY.

Title I of the Clean Air Act is amended by inserting after section 179B (42 U.S.C. 7509a) the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

‘SEC. 179C. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS THROUGH TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY.

‘(a) In General- Each State shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this section, submit to the Administrator goals for transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions reductions; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) as part of each transportation plan or transportation improvement plan developed under title 23 or title 49, United States Code, ensure that a plan to achieve such goals, or an updated version of such a plan, is submitted to the Administrator and to the Secretary of Transportation (in this section referred to as the ‘Secretary’) by each metropolitan planning organization in the State for an area with a population exceeding 200,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(b) Models and Methodologies-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) IN GENERAL- The Administrator shall promulgate regulations to establish standardized models and methodologies for use in developing goals, plans, and strategies under this section. Such regulations may approve or improve existing models and methodologies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) TIMING- The Administrator shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) publish proposed regulations under paragraph (1) not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) promulgate final regulations under paragraph (1) not later than 2 years after such date of enactment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(c) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) CONSULTATION- Each State shall develop the goals referred to in subsection (a)(1)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) in concurrence with State agencies responsible for air quality and transportation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) in consultation with each metropolitan planning organization for an area in the State with a population exceeding 200,000 and applicable local air quality and transportation agencies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) with public involvement, including public comment periods and meetings.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) PERIOD- The goals referred to in subsection (a)(1) shall be for 10- and 20-year periods.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) TARGETS; DESIGNATED YEAR- The goals referred to in subsection (a)(1) shall establish targets to reduce mobile source greenhouse gas emissions in the covered area from levels projected under a business-as-usual scenario. The targets shall be designed to ensure that the levels of such emissions stabilize and decrease after a designated year. The State shall consider designating 2010 as such designated year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) COVERED AREA- The goals referred to in subsection (a)(1) shall be established--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) on a statewide basis; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) for each metropolitan planning organization in the State for an area with a population exceeding 200,000.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) REVISED GOALS- Every 4 years, each State shall update and revise, as appropriate, the goals referred to in subsection (a)(1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(d) Planning- A plan referred to in subsection (a)(2) shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) be based upon the models and methodologies established by the Administrator under subsection (b);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) address mobile sources, economic development, and scenario analysis; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) be developed--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) with public involvement, including public comment periods and meetings;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) with regional coordination, including with respect to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) metropolitan planning organizations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) the localities comprising the metropolitan planning organization;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iii) the State in which the metropolitan planning organization is located; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(iv) air quality and transportation agencies for the State and region involved; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) in consultation with the State and local housing, public health, economic development, land use, environment, and public transportation agencies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Strategies- In developing goals under subsection (a)(1) and a plan under subsection (a)(2), the State or metropolitan planning organization, as applicable, shall consider transportation and land use planning strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) Efforts to increase public transportation, including commuter rail service and ridership, by adding at a minimum--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) new public transportation systems, including new commuter rail systems;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) employer-based subsidies; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) cleaner locomotive technologies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) Updates to zoning and other land use regulations and plans to support development that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) coordinates transportation and land use planning;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) focuses future growth close to existing and planned job centers and public facilities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) uses existing infrastructure;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(D) promotes walking, bicycling, and public transportation use; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(E) mixes land uses such as housing, retail, and schools.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) Implementation of a policy (referred to as a ‘complete streets policy’) that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) ensures adequate accommodation of all users of transportation systems, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) adequately addresses the safety and convenience of all users of the transportation system.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(4) Construction of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure facilities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(5) Projects to promote telecommuting, flexible work schedules, or satellite work centers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(6) Pricing measures such as congestion pricing.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(7) Intermodal freight system strategies, including enhanced rail services, short sea shipping, and other strategies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(8) Parking policies.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(9) Travel demand management projects.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(10) Restriction of the use of certain roads, or lanes, by vehicles other than passenger buses and high-occupancy vehicles.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(11) Reduction of vehicle idling, including idling associated with freight management, construction, transportation, and commuter operations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(12) Policies to encourage the use of retrofit technologies and early replacement of vehicles, engines and equipment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing mobile sources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(13) Other projects that the Administrator finds reduce greenhouse gas emissions from mobile sources.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(f) Public Availability- The Administrator shall publish, including by posting on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) the goals and plans submitted under subsection (a); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) for each plan submitted under subsection (a)(2), an analysis of the anticipated effects of the plan on greenhouse gas emissions and oil consumption.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(g) Enforcement- If the Administrator finds that a State has failed to submit goals under subsection (a)(1), or to ensure the submission of a plan under subsection (a)(2), for any area in the State (irrespective of whether the area is a nonattainment area), the Administrator may impose a prohibition in accordance with section 179(b)(1) applicable to the area. The Administrator may not impose a prohibition under the preceding sentence, and no action may be brought by the Administrator or any other entity alleging a violation of this section, based on the content or adequacy of a goal or plan submitted under subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(h) Competitive Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) GRANTS- The Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, may award grants on a competitive basis to metropolitan planning organizations to develop or implement plans submitted under subsection (a)(2) or elements thereof.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) PRIORITY- In making grants under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall give priority to applicants based upon--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) the amount of greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced on a total or per capita basis, as determined by the Administrator in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) such other factors as the Administrator determines appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- To carry out this subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) Definitions- In this section:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) The term ‘metropolitan planning organization’ means a metropolitan planning organization, as such term is used in section 176 of the Clean Air Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) The term ‘scenario analysis’ means an analysis that is conducted by identifying different trends and making projections based on those trends to develop a range of scenarios and estimates of how each scenario could improve access to goods and services, including access to employment, education, and health care (especially for elderly and economically disadvantaged communities), and could affect rates of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) vehicle miles traveled;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(B) use of mobile source fuel by type, including electricity; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(C) greenhouse gas emissions from the mobile source sector.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(j) Land Use Authority- Nothing in this section may be construed to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(1) infringe upon the existing authority of State or local governments to plan or control land use, orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(2) provide or transfer authority over land use to any other entity.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink