Yesterday, eight states in the Transportation Climate Initiative issued a joint statement pledging to pursue regional solutions to GHG emissions from transportation. The statement does not identify any specific policy options; instead it simply announced that they are "initiating a public conversation about these opportunities and challenges."
Even if the statement doesn't say so, what everyone is hearing from this announcement is simply this: RGGI for transportation.
To give one an idea of the momentum that is finally building in support of regulation of transportation sector GHG emissions, one need look no further than the recent letter sent jointly by the New England Power Generators Association (our client), the NRDC, the Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists (also our client!), and the Acadia Center to four New England governors, requesting that they
develop and participate in a regional, market-based policy to address greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
If the letter seems at first blush to involve strange bedfellows, think again. From NEPGA's perspective, its members are reasonably sick and tired of being the only target of GHG emissions regulations – particularly given that electric generation now represents less than ½ the GHG emissions from transportation. From the perspective of the environmental groups, they know that it will be literally impossible to meet targets of 80% reductions in GHG emissions by 2050 without very substantial reductions in emissions from transportation.
For too long, states focused on electric generation emissions to the exclusion of transportation for one reason only. Transportation will be difficult. Difficult is no longer an excuse.
It's about time.
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