_ The Zero Emissions Strategy Conference
_ The Zero Emissions Strategy Conference
- From: Jessica Vallette, Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project vallette@citizen.org
The following release was received here via Sustran today and provides an example of how citizen groups are trying to influence public policy debates and decisions in the key transportation sector. Our position is that without informed (and successful) activism of this sort, the concepts of zero emissions and sustainability more generally remain nothing more than empty theory. SENATE TO TAKE UP ISTEA2 NEXT WEEKThe Senate continues to work on its six year version of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), which compiles with the balanced budget agreement. Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott (R-MS) is committed to a six year bill and no extension. The Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works passed its reauthorization bill last week and the full Senate is expected to take it up next week. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) is threatening to amend the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality provision to allow increased highway capacity for single occupancy vehicles. This amendment would gut the program and allow state departments of transportation yet another avenue to increase their overall highway spending without a need to consider the negative air impacts of more driving. We need to pressure the Senate to support a full strength CMAQ program because it is the only provision that links automobile travel with bad air quality by funding programs to increase the number of less polluting and more efficient, alternatively fueled busses on our nation's roads and other methods to improve transportation's impact on air quality. Other issues that are of great concern to the environmental community are proposals to weaken metropolitan planning provisions and "streamline" provisions that link with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. For more information on these issues contact Michael Replogle at the Environmental Defense Fund, 202-387-3500 or michaelr@edf.org. HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES 6 MONTH HIGHWAY EXTENSION BILL On 24 September, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a bill that extends the original Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 for an additional 6 months from October 1, 1997 to March 31, 1998. This bill, H.R. 2519, maintains ISTEA's policy structure and extends FY 1997 funding levels for another 6 months. This move is meant to pacify House leadership's concerns about the Shuster's reauthorization proposal that would "bust the budget". The committee expects to use this additional time to work out budget levels that would be acceptable to House Budget Committee chair, John Kaisch, and House Speaker Gingrich. The Committee also marked-up BESTEA without reporting it to the House Floor. BESTEA was amended to take it from a three year bill to a six year bill. Thus far it retains large increases in transportation spending in the first three years, but these levels have been reduced to levels near those approved in the budget agreement passed earlier this year. The Committee also resolved to increase transportation funding by transfering 4.3 cents of the federal gas tax currently used to balance the budget into the Highway Trust Fund, without actually spending the money. Since revenue projections for FY98 are expected to be higher than anticipated under the balanced budget agreement, there is a distinct possibility that more funds will be available for transportation in next year's budget process. The Committee will take the bill back up in March when the extension expires. WHAT ALL THIS MEANS After the Senate passes their version of ISTEA, members of both the House and the Senate could meet in conference to finalize legislation for the President's signature. However, this is unlikely since the House passed only a 6 month extension. Any further action won't likely occur until March when the House will take up their version of the bill. WHAT YOU CAN DO Call or write your Senator and ask that they support a fully reauthorized ISTEA that would last for 6 years and would:
Since the bill will be taken up by the full Senate starting October 1, please fax your letter if your Senator is listed below (all area codes are 202):
___________________________________________________________________________ For more information contact: To receive regular alerts on energy policy through the Internet, sign up for Critical Mass listserver by sending following message to listproc@essential.org:
SUBSCRIBE CMEP-LIST Your Name - Organization (no acronyms) - Home state
The Critical Mass Energy Project Web site is located at: http://www.citizen.org/CMEP
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