House Reps: Vote NO on Defunding Clean Transportation Programs!

Photo by Kendall Septon, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Republicans are aiming to cut important programs that will help decarbonize the transportation sector. 35 environmental organizations and companies urge House representatives to oppose the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Bill.

Below is the text of the letter sent to House representatives:

Re: Vote NO on Defunding Clean Transportation Programs

Dear Representative,

On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, the undersigned groups urge you to oppose H.R. 4820, the FY2024 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations bill. Additionally, we oppose any other legislation or amendments detrimental to our environment, public health, and climate justice.

Overall, the legislation proposes cuts 25 percent below current funding levels. The bill would hamstring Department of Transportation (DOT) grant programs, slashing $6.6 billion across various programs in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA). The bill nearly eliminates transit capital investment grants, an 82 percent cut from 2023, stalling projects intended to eliminate transportation deserts and improve subways, passenger rail, bus rapid transit, corridors, and related infrastructure across the country.

The bill also eliminates the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program that supports projects that improve freight, highways, rail, and port infrastructure, and the sustainability of our transportation networks. These grants are vital to decarbonizing the heavy-duty sector, which emits a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gasses and criteria pollutants. Reducing funding to accelerate clean transportation would also undermine growing domestic manufacturing as battery and electric vehicle production supports more and more jobs and a new generation of workers across the country.

The bill also prohibits the implementation of DOT’s proposed Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Performance Measure, which, if finalized, would require State Departments of Transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to establish declining carbon dioxide targets and a method for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation. The GHG emissions performance measure would help policymakers and the public understand and evaluate the impact of transportation investments and help transportation planners choose projects that are in line with established climate goals. Any effort to block the finalization and/or implementation rule will make it more difficult to reduce emissions from transportation and address climate change.

Our nation’s transportation sector is the highest single source of climate emissions in our country. It continues to degrade the air quality of numerous communities across the U.S. We cannot cut federal programs that move us towards a zero-emission transportation future, and we must reject all efforts that try to do so. We urge you to oppose H.R. 4820 and any amendments that harm our environment and health.

Signed,

Ample, Inc.

Center for Biological Diversity

Center for Neighborhood Technology

Climate Rail Alliance

Coltura

CT Climate Crisis Mobilization

Earthjustice

Electric Vehicle Association

Environmental Defense Fund

Environmental Law & Policy Center

GreenLatinos

It's Electric, Inc. (dba itselectric)

Just Strategy

League of Conservation Voters

Moms Clean Air Force

Natural Resources Defense Council

Nevada Rail Coalition

New Urban Mobility alliance (NUMO)

North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association (NABSA)

Northern Virginia Transportation Commission 

Planning and Conservation League

Plug In America

Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce

Sierra Club

Solutionary Rail

Streetsmart Planning

Sustain Charlotte

The Street Trust - Oregon

Together for Brothers (T4B)

Transportation for America

Tri-State Transportation Campaign

Union of Concerned Scientists

Voices for Progress

WA Resident & Climate Rail Alliance

Zero-Emission Transportation Association (ZETA)