S&P Global Intelligence: "States look to pump brakes on transportation emissions"

New England and mid-Atlantic state officials are looking to curb transportation emissions to reach their ambitious targets for greenhouse gas reductions, but the road ahead is complicated and riddled with challenges. The transportation sector produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector of industry in the U.S., and experts and officials say the Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states cannot achieve their climate-change goals without tackling those emissions. Many of the states have adopted economywide emissions reductions of 80% by 2050 from 1990 levels. Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont are among those exploring their options. A series of public forums, organized by the Transportation and Climate Initiative, or TCI — which is facilitated by the Georgetown Climate Center — will continue July 24 in New York. During the three brainstorming sessions held thus far, local residents and business interests, environmental advocates and industry representatives suggested a variety of options, including charging drivers for entering specific areas during rush-hour, offering rebates for using public transit, updating building codes to require electric vehicle charging infrastructure, using green banks to fund projects and restricting urban zones to electric vehicles. Read the full article by Esther Whieldon, S&P Global Market Intelligence, HERE.