Oregon DOT Projects Little Decline in Driving Despite Climate Pledge

Despite a mandate to reduce carbon emissions by 45 percent across state agencies, the Oregon Department of Transportation's financial projections show little progress, reports Rachel Monahan. Based on gas tax revenue projections, "ODOT has made commitments to the financial markets where it sells bonds to finance road projects that make clear the agency is actually counting on emissions to continue. The revenue forecast doesn’t say emissions, but it readily translates to exhaust coming out of tailpipes."

According to ODOT projections, cars and trucks will emit 19.3 million metric tons of CO2 annually. But to meet the 45 percent goal, the state would need to reduce emissions by 12 million metric tons each year. An ODOT spokesperson acknowledged the pattern, saying "ODOT revenue forecasts are based purely on consumer patterns and historical data" rather than future goals. The projections also do not account for potential reductions in vehicle miles traveled thanks to congestion pricing schemes and other initiatives aimed at reducing driving.