Bold House Transport Bill Sets Innovative Course

WASHINGTON – The House Transportation and Infrastructure committee unveiled a bold surface transportation bill,  the INVEST in America Act, today.

Key aspects of the bill include focusing on “fix-it-first,” historic investments in transit and inter-city rail, and electrification of our car, truck, and bus fleets. It also includes transformative provisions for states and metropolitan areas to measure how their transportation plans affect public access to jobs and services and carbon emissions, plus investments to achieve those important goals.

The following is a statement from Deron Lovaas, a senior advocate at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“This legislation sets its sights on the future, one with strong job growth, a booming economy, redress for racial inequities, and a safer climate. And, critically, this bill avoids unnecessary rollbacks of environmental reviews and public input.

“This is the bold approach we need to tackle our crises of racial inequity and climate change.

“In addition to the historic funding for transit and rail, this bill restructures a national transportation program long stuck in the 1950s, retooling it to tackle climate change and get us to a safer, more prosperous future. This is a long-overdue and crucial change, and one that must be part of any final legislation.”

For more on the surface transportation plans being discussed in Washington, see this earlier blog from Deron.

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.