Climate Change and Transportation

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Climate Change and Transportation

• IBTTA Board of Directors Meeting
• January 22, 2009
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Leslie Bellas General Counsel and Dir.
Environmental Affairs
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Come and Begin to Understand Where Our World is
Headed

• Warmer temperatures

• Increased precipitation

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Come and Begin to Understand Where Our World is
Headed

• Melting glaciers

• Changing sea level

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What Causes Climate Change?
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Houston, We Have a Problem
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Think Globally
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U.S. CO2 Emission Sources
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Transportations Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Reference Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas
Emissions and Sinks 1990-2006, USEPA
430-R-08-005l
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More People
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More Cars
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We Love BIG Cars!
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Bigger Cars Less Fuel Economy
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Emissions from the Transportation Sector

• Four-legged stool
• Fuel Economy 2007 legislation raising CAFÉ
• Fuel Content Renewable Fuels in the Energy
  Independence Security Act of 2007
• Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) No legislation
• Traffic Operations/Driving Behavior No
  legislation
• Reducing congestion or idling and/or maintaining
  traffic flow between 30-60 MPH will decrease fuel
  consumption and may lower VMT

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Déjà Vu?

• Who said
• I am inaugurating a program to marshal both
  government and private research with the goal of
  producing an unconventially powered, virtually
  pollution-free automobile within five years.
• Richard M. Nixon, 1970

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The First Rule of Holes When You Have a Hole,
Stop Digging!

• Climate is changing
• Human activities are a contributing factor
• Everyone is to blame
• The transportation sector is a major emitter of
  greenhouse gas emissions
• We acknowledged the need to take action
• We havent changed our behavior

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What Do We Want? Action!When Do We Want It?
Yesterday!

• Reversing our course will occur at a glacial pace

• GHG dont stop at the border

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Why Now is the Time to Begin Addressing Climate
Change

• Perfect Storm
• Recognition we are prisoners of oil
• Science is proving the existence of climate
  change and science will help us find an answer
• Market driven solutions
• Most nations, including the United States,
  acknowledge the need to tackle climate change
• We had our first serious debate on climate change
• The Administration wants to address climate
  change

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Will National Climate Change Legislation Be Our
Savior This Congress?

• Its the economy, stupid!
• Climate change is costly
• New energy sources
• Need to change process/operations
• Administrative burdens from compliance
  obligations

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Whats Left for IBTTA to Do?

• Administration
• Identify the Administrations priorities
• Figure out how tolling and congestion pricing can
  help the Administration achieve its objectives
• Federal Agencies There are more agencies than
  DOT
• U.S. EPA
• U.S. DOE
• U.S. DOT
• DHS/FEMA

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Whats Left for IBTTA to Do (contd)?

• Regions
• Climate exchanges
• States
• Climate action plans
• State agencies/MPO programs
• Build alliances
• Fellow trade associations Communications
• Environmental Investment/Banks
• Infrastructure Energy
• IT Land use

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Whats Left for IBTTA to Do (contd)?

• Take a leadership role in key areas
• Funding transportation/climate impacts
• How tolling can help other acceptable interests,
  e.g., fund transit/research/ensure equity
• Tolling projects as part of federal or state
  climate change legislation (offsets)
• Consider impact of new projects on climate
• Consider how your facilities can help measure
  emissions

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Thank You

• Intelligent Transportation Society of America
• www.itsa.org
• Leslie Bellas
• lbellas_at_itsa.org
• 202-721-4239