Today’s Headlines
Is the Obama administration really cutting New York’s transit security funding? Lawmakers say yes (AP), White House says no (AP) Senate climate bill, backed by capital’s biggest transport reform group, could undermine existing clean-air rules (MoJo Blogs) Gas tax remains a bugaboo, but Dems are pursuing an oil liability fee in wake of Gulf oil … Continued
May 14, 2010
Dems, Obama Pushing Back Against Car Dealers’ Consumer Loophole
Auto dealers lobbied hard to win an exemption from the new consumer protection agency created by Congress' pending financial reform bill, but their free pass could fall by the wayside today as senior Democrats and President Obama press for a crackdown on deceptive lending practices in all industries.
May 13, 2010
Specter of Gas Tax Lingers as Rendell, Villaraigosa Push Infrastructure Bank
Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D), two of the nation's best-known advocates for greater investment in the built environment, today joined several House Democrats in calling for federal action on a National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) -- even as questions about how the bank's scope, and Congress' resistance to raising sustained new transport funding, continued to dog the debate.
May 13, 2010
Today’s Headlines
Sen. Kerry (D-MA) on yesterday’s climate bill rollout, in his own words (Grist) Bad sign for that climate bill? Obama statement calls it by the wrong name, citing House version instead (WH Press) Obama urges Senate to defeat auto dealers’ favorite provision in the pending financial reform bill (The Hill) How China is winning the … Continued
May 13, 2010
Senate Climate Bill Would Send $6B-Plus to Cleaner Transportation
Transportation would receive more than
$6 billion of the revenue generated by selling carbon emissions
permits to fuel providers under a new Senate climate bill introduced
today by Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT).
May 12, 2010
State DOT Official, Rail Exec Talk High-Speed Rail Infighting, Bureaucracy
The push for dedicated U.S. high-speed rail funding began anew yesterday with the launch of a campaign aimed at securing $4 billion from Congress for next year's projects -- but hours before that event, federal and state transport officials joined private-sector players for a discussion that highlighted the political challenges facing successful development of fast inter-city rail networks.
May 12, 2010
Today’s Headlines
Is the recession really easing? Not for many transport and construction companies (Reuters) LaHood cruises on mag-lev train during visit to Japan (AP, Bloomberg) A look at the local ramifications of the auto-bike culture clash (CNN) Debate erupts in D.C. after transit union calls for 40mph maximum speeds on local rail, citing safety concerns (WashPost … Continued
May 12, 2010
Senate Climate Bill to Feature Transport Carbon Cap — But No Trading
Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) are set to roll out their long-awaited, somewhat delayed climate change bill tomorrow without onetime co-sponsor Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
May 11, 2010
High-Speed Rail Lobbying Campaign Revives the “$4B” Rallying Cry
The lobbying coalition that helped prod Congress into approving $2.5 billion for high-speed rail last year -- twice as much as the Senate had originally set aside -- today kicked off a new campaign urging lawmakers to approve $4 billion for bullet trains next year and $2.6 billion for Amtrak.
May 11, 2010
First Lady’s Childhood Obesity Task Force Calls For Transportation Reform
The White House's inter-agency task force on childhood obesity, developed under the stewardship of First Lady Michelle Obama, today released a 124-page report recommending dozens of policy shifts in health care, community development, and transportation that it estimates can bring down obesity rates among kids by 5 percent over the next 20 years.
May 11, 2010