A Republican Returns to Congress With A Map to Transportation Reform
During his 24 years in Congress, former Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) was known for a brand of Republicanism now considered endangered. An ardent environmentalist and defender of objective government science, he played a key role in drafting the acid rain limits that are serving as a model for this year's climate change fight.
October 29, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Fossil fuel burners resort to an innovative new strategy to defeat climate legislation, prodding their employees to become grassroots lobbyists (The Hill) The World Series is sparking another kind of competition — between local transit agencies that want to help shuttle the crowds (DailyRecord.com) Friends of the Earth remakes that catchy “I’m Just a Bill” … Continued
October 29, 2009
Senior Dems Release New Distracted Driving Bill as LaHood Testifies
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) today unveiled his plan to take an incentive-based approach to distracted driving as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood testified on the Obama administration's campaign to end the use of electronic devices behind the wheel.
October 28, 2009
Transportation Policy Becomes the Proverbial Tree Falling in the Forest
Halfway through this afternoon's rally in support of a new federal transportation bill, there came an accidental but telling moment. A group of tourists, attracted by the hundreds of orange flags planted in the National Mall for the rally, walked through the event and whispered questions to attendees about its purpose. Once their curiosity was sated, the group lost interest and ambled away.
October 28, 2009
Philly Mayor Tells Senate: Climate Bill Can Help Make Cities Greener
As the Senate opened its second round of climate change hearings today, Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter delivered the urban case for climate legislation, outlining an array of infrastructure improvements and green reforms that would be made possible by federal action to reduce carbon emissions.
October 28, 2009
Today’s Headlines
Why is a federal energy efficiency push such a big deal? Because states like Wyoming see conservation as a national and local issue, not one to be solved at their level (NYT) New Subsidyscope report finds that Amtrak loses an average of $32 per passenger (AP) Congressional impasse over long-term federal transportation legislation is having … Continued
October 28, 2009
Transport Policy Update: Senate to Pass 6-Month Extension This Week
Before week's end, the Senate will pass a six-month extension of the nation's four-year-old transportation law -- setting the stage for another showdown with the House, where transportation committee chairman Jim Oberstar remains on the fence about abandoning the push for a new long-term bill before 2010.
October 27, 2009
At Senate Climate Hearings, Lots of Transport Talk and All Eyes on Baucus
The Senate environment committee today held the first in a three-part marathon of hearings on its climate change legislation, with supporters singling out the bill's investments in clean transportation even as one senior Democrat notably withheld his support from the measure.
October 27, 2009
Electric Cars Got a Bigger U.S. Bet in 6 Months Than Transit Gets All Year
Vice President Joe Biden will return to his home state of Delaware today to announce that California car company Fisker Automotive will reopen a shuttered General Motors plant to build a moderately priced plug-in hybrid that goes by the code name Project NINA.
October 27, 2009
Today’s Headlines
The Energy Department awards $150 million in grants to innovative tech projects, many of them in the transportation sector (WSJ Blog) Rail companies, including Amtrak, are lobbying against a federal mandate to implement the safety program known as “positive train control” (WSJ) Uh-oh: Philadelphia transit workers may start their strike during the World Series (AP) … Continued
October 27, 2009