Transportation
For the past 100 years, the United States has effectively moved passengers and freight with a single source of fuel: petroleum. As we begin the 21st century, our reliance on this fuel is no longer sustainable. It poses serious challenges for our economy and our national security, contaminates our air and water, and is a major (and growing) source of global warming pollution.
ENE’s transportation initiatives are working to implement a vision of a sustainable transportation system for the northeast U.S. and for North America. Our transportation future must be characterized by widespread use of fuels that have low or no carbon content and can be sustainably and affordably produced. New vehicle models must be able to operate on these low-carbon fuels, they must be more fuel efficient, and we must help them rapidly penetrate the marketplace. New infrastructure must be developed to support these fuels and vehicles. Planning processes (for land use and for highway budgets) will have to be modified to ensure that the new infrastructure is in the right place, at the right time. Such planning and budgetary reforms will also make it easier for people and freight to get where they need to go by traveling shorter distances or using more efficient modes. This will require, among other things, much greater access to mass transit.
Advancing this vision will help the states and the region meet greenhouse gas reduction targets, dramatically reduce air pollution and its harmful health effects, and gain meaningful energy independence.
ENE’s transportation program team includes researchers, analysts, lawyers and advocates who work with state and federal policy makers, industry, community action groups, and other environmental groups to achieve this vision. ENE's transportation initiatives include:
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Low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is a market-based policy tool to reduce the carbon intensity of fuels by 10% by 2020. This approach promotes the introduction of low and no carbon fuels such as electricity, hydrogen, CNG, and cellulosic ethanol, while discouraging the use of higher carbon fuels such as refined products from oil sands. California adopted an LCFS in 2009, and officials in 11 mid-Atlantic and northeast states have committed to pursue a similar program.
- Establishing a federal rules to lower GHG emissions from transportation fuel -ENE is advocating adoption of federal legislation that will establish a mandatory carbon cap that covers transportation fuels as well as other major sources of greenhouse gases. (More about federal cap and trade policy) In June, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey bill to do just that. ENE is working to see this legislation through to final adoption. Additionally, ENE is advocating careful attention to the full lifecycle carbon impacts of certain high carbon fuels such as oil sands and most corn ethanol. (See ENE's biofuels page for more information.)
- Vehicle Electrification -By switching more cars, buses and other vehicles to use electricity instead of gasoline or diesel, states and the region can cut reliance on petroleum and greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. ENE is working with industry and policy makers to understand what impacts this could have on utility rates and infrastructure, and to introduce policies that will ensure a rapid introduction vehicle electrification under conditions that protect environmental interests.
- New England Diesel Initiative -Diesel exhaust contains toxics and fine particles that attack human lungs and cardiac tissue, as well as black carbon, or soot. The black carbon particles absorb the sun’s energy and convert it into heat, giving it a global warming potential 600 times greater than that of carbon dioxide. Diesel particulate filters, retrofitted onto existing engines, can reduce the amount of particles emitted by up to 90 percent. Replacing diesel engines with electric or other alternative fueled systems are also effective ways to lower the carbon footprint of heavy duty vehicles. In 2002, ENE initiated the New England Diesel Initiative, forming coalitions of community and health advocates in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to push for the installation of filters on priority fleets of heavy duty diesels.
- Reducing Miles Traveled – ENE’s Transportation Program and Forestry & Land Use Program are collaborating in support of new requirements to ensure that publicly funded infrastructure, like highways or school buildings, are planned and permitted after an accounting of their greenhouse gas emissions and an evaluation of alternatives and mitigation measures. Massachusetts adopted an executive order instituting such a process for all major state-funded developments.
ENE Transportation Projects:
