The decision vacates a USDOT rule that would have required states to establish emission reduction plans.
A U.S. District Court judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) does not have the authority to issue a recent emissions reduction rule, reports Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive. The lawsuit was brought by the state of Texas. “In a separate lawsuit a group of 21 states filed in Kentucky, the Federal Highway Administration agreed to extend the deadline for states to submit initial CO2 targets and reports until March 29, 2024.”
The argument hinges on Congress’s rejection of a GHG performance measurement when the infrastructure law was first developed, thus “making the Administration’s rulemaking an unlawful attempt to circumvent Congress and force this one-size-fits-all burden upon every state and community across the country,” said Representatives Sam Graves and Rick Crawford in a statement.
Steven Higashide, director of the Clean Transportation Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says the rule “adds basic transparency to transportation planning processes that can be hard to understand, and it’s disheartening to see any states fight to make the process more opaque.”
FULL STORY: Texas court strikes down federal rule requiring states to monitor and set targets for highway GHG emissions
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
USDOT Repeals Emissions Monitoring Rule
A Biden-era regulation required states to report and plan to reduce transportation-related emissions.
LA’s Trees Absorb More Carbon Than Expected, But Can’t Do It Alone
A USC study finds that Los Angeles’ urban trees absorb more carbon than expected, but while they provide crucial environmental benefits, they cannot replace the urgent need for systemic emissions reductions.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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New York City School Construction Authority
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