Climate Change and the America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (S. 2302)

Climate Change and the America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (S. 2302)

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September 3, 2019
Climate Change and the America’s Transportation
Infrastructure Act of 2019 (S. 2302)
Highway, public transportation, and rail programs are
Figure 1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from
authorized through FY2020 by the Fixing America’s
Transportation in the United States, 1990-2017
Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (P.L. 114-94). In
Millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
August 2019, the Senate Committee on Environment and
Public Works reported a bill that would reauthorize the
highway elements of surface transportation programs from
FY2021 through FY2025. The bill, S. 2302, the America’s
Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019, would be the
first surface transportation authorization act to include
major provisions that address climate change.
Surface transportation is a major source of carbon dioxide
(CO2) in the atmosphere, the main human-related
greenhouse gas (GHG) contributing to climate change. At
the same time, the effects of climate change, such as
extreme heat, sea level rise, and stronger storms, pose a
threat to transportation infrastructure. S. 2302 seeks to
address these two aspects of climate change with mitigation
provisions that aim to reduce GHG emissions from surface

Source: Environmental Protection Agency.
transportation and adaptation provisions that aim to make
the surface transportation system more resilient to a
Note: “Other” includes buses, motorcycles, ships and boats, rail, and
changing climate.
pipelines.
Climate Change Mitigation
Other climate mitigation policies affecting surface
Transportation is the largest source of GHG emissions in
transportation are generally the indirect effects of policies
the United States, and thus is a target of emission reduction
enacted for other reasons. For example, the Congestion
efforts to mitigate future climate change. The
Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that, in
program, part of the Federal-Aid Highway Program,
2017, transportation accounted for 29% of U.S. man-made
provides federal funding for projects that contribute to the
GHG emissions. GHG emissions from the transportation
attainment of ambient air pollution standards for ozone,
sector come mainly from cars and light trucks (Figure 1).
carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. This typically
Total GHG emissions from transportation increased by 22%
involves projects that reduce pollutant emissions from cars
between 1990 and 2017, but peaked in 2005. Total
and trucks that also co-emit CO2. Other surface
emissions were about 6% less in 2017 than in 2005, but
transportation programs that may contribute indirectly to
have increased since 2012. Most GHG emissions from the
the reduction of GHG emissions include the Transportation
sector are due to the release of CO
Alternatives program, which funds projects such as bicycle
2 from the combustion of
gasoline and diesel fuel. Other GHGs, such as methane,
and pedestrian infrastructure, and the federal public
make up about 3% of emissions from transportation.
transportation program.
Climate Change Adaptation
GHG emissions from transportation are largely a function
of three factors: vehicle fuel efficiency, the carbon content
Climate change is likely to include higher average
of fuel, and vehicle miles traveled. Vehicle fuel efficiency
temperatures, greater extremes of temperature, more
is regulated by the Corporate Average Fuel Economy
precipitation overall with an increase in precipitation
(CAFE) standards, administered by the Department of
intensity and greater variation, and a rise in sea level.
Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety
Climate change may also lead to fewer but stronger
Administration, and GHG emissions standards,
hurricanes. While the consequences of some of these
administered by EPA. The CAFE standards are established
changes may depend to some extent on other human
under the authority of the Energy Policy and Conservation
activities, such as urban development patterns, they are
Act, as amended, and the GHG standards under the
likely to include an increase in extreme heat; fewer days
authority of the Clean Air Act, as amended. Neither is
below freezing; more coastal, riverine, and flash flooding;
commonly legislated in surface transportation
and more droughts and wildfires. Intense precipitation
authorizations.
could lead to more mudslides, particularly following
droughts and wildfires.
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Climate Change and the America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (S. 2302)
Existing surface transportation infrastructure can be
projects might include ridesharing programs, truck stop
vulnerable to climate change because it was constructed for
electrification, and incident management programs.
sea level and weather extremes that are being or are likely
Funding would average $600 million annually for the
to be exceeded in the future. If the effects of climate change
formula program and $100 million annually for the
worsen, as studies anticipate, the impacts of extreme
competitive program.
weather on surface transportation infrastructure and
operations are likely to increase in magnitude, duration, and
 Establishes a new competitive grant program to support
frequency. For example, an increase in the number of very
construction and operation of alternative fueling
hot days may cause more damage to bridges because of
infrastructure along designated alternative fuel
greater thermal expansion of bridge joints. More intense
corridors. Funding would average $200 million
precipitation and flooding could result in more road
annually.
washouts, bridge scour, and roadside mudslides. Not all the
effects of climate change will be negative. For example, a
 Establishes a new competitive grant program to support
warmer climate could reduce road pavement deterioration
projects that would reduce GHG and air pollutant
in some places due to less freezing, snow, and ice.
emissions at ports by reducing truck idling. Funding
would average $74 million annually.
Adaptation is action to reduce the vulnerabilities and
increase the resilience of the transportation system to the
 Establishes a federal interagency working group to
effects of climate change. Adaptation options for surface
develop a strategy to transition the vehicle fleets of
transportation include structural and nature-based
federal agencies to hybrid-electric vehicles, plug-in
engineering and policy-based activities. For example,
electric drive vehicles, and alternative fueled vehicles.
highway bridges can be engineered structurally to withstand
the threats of higher wind and water. Nature-based
 Establishes a new competitive grant program for
engineering may involve reducing climate vulnerabilities
highway congestion reduction projects that may
through activities such as wetland restoration, artificial
indirectly reduce transportation emissions. Funding
reefs, and beach restoration. Policy-based activities include
would average $40 million annually.
changing maintenance practices, such as more frequent
cleaning of drains, and improving operations plans for
Adaptation Provisions
weather emergencies.
 Establishes a new grant program to support adaptation
projects. Funding would average $986 million annually,
Currently, there is no dedicated surface transportation
with $786 million distributed to the states by formula
funding for adaptation projects. The Federal Highway
and $200 million distributed competitively. The
Administration (FHWA) has stated that federal-aid highway
program would also encourage the development of
funds can be used to assess the potential impacts of climate
resilience improvement plans.
change and to apply adaptation strategies. FHWA’s
Emergency Relief program, which provides funds for
 Makes certain “protective features” designed to mitigate
rebuilding after natural disasters, also allows some spending
the risk of recurring damage from extreme weather
on resiliency features. Moreover, several aspects of federal
events, flooding, or other natural disasters eligible
law, regulation, and policy require asset managers to
expenses under the federal highway program. The
consider the effects of climate change on surface
federal government would pay up to 100% of the cost of
transportation infrastructure. FHWA, in cooperation with
projects such as raising roadway grades, stabilizing
state departments of transportation, has sponsored
slopes, and adding bridge scour protection; for most
vulnerability assessments and conducted research into
other types of highway construction, the states must pay
making surface transportation more resilient to climate
at least 10% or 20% of the cost.
change.
America’s Transportation Infrastructure
 Adds adaptation strategies to the required contents of
Act of 2019 (S. 2302)
the National Freight Strategic Plan and state freight
plans.
S. 2302 would authorize about $10 billion over five years
specifically for highway-related climate change mitigation
 Adds wildfire and sea level rise to the definition of
and adaptation programs. More funding could be available
natural disaster in the Emergency Relief program, and
for mitigation and adaptation activities if state and local
explicitly makes economically justifiable resilience
governments choose to use a portion of other federal
features eligible for funding as part of repair and
highway grants for this purpose, as S. 2302 would allow.
reconstruction projects.
Funding would be authorized from the Highway Trust
Fund, which derives most of its revenue from a tax on
 Defines “natural infrastructure” as infrastructure that
motor vehicle fuels. The major climate change-related
uses, restores, or emulates natural ecological processes,
provisions proposed by S. 2302 include the following:
and makes such projects specifically eligible for
Mitigation Provisions
funding.
 Establishes new formula and competitive grant
William J. Mallett, Specialist in Transportation Policy
programs to support planning and projects that reduce
on-road mobile sources of CO
IF11299
2 emissions. Eligible
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Climate Change and the America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (S. 2302)

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