Introducing the Samuelson Gas Tax Increase: A Penny Every Month
Democratic lawmakers are discussing the possibility of a one-year
stopgap transportation bill but have yet to reach consensus on how to
pay for the measure, Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) said today.
November 17, 2009
Obama Administration’s Transit Safety Rules to Eventually Apply to Buses
The Obama administration's proposal
for a new federal role in transit safety oversight would eventually
apply to buses, although the first round of rules would be directed at
subways and light rail, according to the U.S. DOT.
November 16, 2009
Feds Propose to Expand Opportunities for Biking and Walking to Transit
When it comes to infrastructure improvements that encourage more people
to walk or bicycle to transit stations, how long will commuters be
willing to travel? The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has
officially answered that question, proposing a significant expansion of
the rules governing how close bike-ped projects should be to transit in
order to receive government funding.
November 16, 2009
Hesitation and Praise Greet Obama Administration’s Transit Safety Plan
Details of the Obama administration's proposal to carve out a federal presence overseeing transit safety, first reported yesterday
by the Washington Post, have yet to cross the desks of some top
lawmakers and industry stakeholders. But reaction to the idea, both
positive and hesitant, is plentiful this morning.
November 16, 2009
Coal-Burning Electric Utilities Still Commanding Dem Senators’ Attention
As reported here yesterday,
transportation is a close second to electric power generation in the
not-so-great race to become the nation's fastest-rising source of
emissions.
November 13, 2009
Which is the Fastest-Rising U.S. Emissions Source: Transport or Electricity?
The climate change bills being considered by Congress treat electric utilities very well, giving more than a third
of the revenue generated by CO2 regulation away -- for free -- to power
providers. This move pleased coal country Democrats while seeking to lock down benefits for consumers by averting electricity rate hikes.
November 12, 2009
Report: After MN Collapse, Bridge Repair Got Just 11% of D.C. Earmarks
In the wake of the 2007 collapse of Minnesota's I-35 bridge, Washington policymakers vowed
a renewed focus on repairing the nation's aging infrastructure. But
weeks after the fatal collapse, Congress approved a transportation
spending bill with 704 earmarked projects, at a total cost topping $570
million -- and just 11 percent of those earmarks went towards bridge
repair, according to a new report released today.
November 12, 2009
White House to Agencies: Prepare for Broad Spending Freeze or 5% Cut
Congressional deficit anxiety, always running high amid conservative Democrats, is reaching something of a fever pitch
this week -- while the White House prepares to ask most federal
agencies for two alternative budgets for the fiscal year that begins
next fall: one that freezes spending and one with a 5 percent cut.
November 12, 2009
Senate to Take Up Mysterious ‘Jobs Bill’ — Is Infrastructure in the Mix?
The notion of a "front-loaded" infrastructure bill to counter the rising U.S. unemployment rate has been circulating in Washington for some time, though solid details on such a measure have yet to emerge.
November 11, 2009
Meet the Obama Administration’s New Clean Energy Loan Man
The Department of Energy (DoE) yesterday chose
venture capitalist Jonathan Silver to head up its loan programs, which
include $25 billion in loan guarantees for low-emissions cars and $32
billion in loan guarantees for renewable energy projects.
November 11, 2009