The state’s department of transportation will have to consider potential greenhouse gas emissions and alter projects that don’t meet emissions reduction targets.
A 2023 Minnesota state law aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions “sets its sights squarely on transportation” by directing the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to consider climate impacts and demand for vehicle miles traveled in proposed highway and road expansion projects.
As Janet Moore explains in The Star Tribune, “If those calculations do not meet MnDOT's targets, the scope of the project must be altered ‘until it conforms,’ or it could be dropped, according a state working group that studied the new law.” A project can also include mitigating measures such as public transit, bike and pedestrian paths, environmental restoration, and roundabouts.
According to Jon Solberg, MnDOT's assistant division director for sustainability, “it's not unlike dealing with wetland mitigation, or crafting ways to comply with existing state and federal environmental laws when planning a new project. It will also encourage agencies, regional planning bodies and local governments to work together more to ensure the targets are met.”
The policy, which goes into effect next February, is part of a broader plan to reach net zero carbon emissions in the state by 2050. According to MnDOT, the agency is focusing on maintaining its existing road system and not planning major expansions.
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