Support U.S. DOT's Carbon Emissions Rule

Dear Secretary Anthony Foxx,

I commend USDOT for considering carbon emissions in the proposed performance management rule for congestion and air quality (Docket #: FHWA-2013-0054), and urge you to include a strong carbon emissions performance standard in the final rule.

Specifically, the final rule should require all state DOTs and Metropolitan Planning Organizations, regardless of size, to measure, reduce, and report on carbon emissions from all transportation projects as part of their long-term transportation plans.

Moreover, to make this new measure as impactful as possible, the congestion mitigation and system performance portions of the rule should be amended to account for people who travel via public transit, biking, and walking. Prioritizing a truly multimodal transportation system will help reduce congestion on our roads, improve reliability, and will assist the Obama administration’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and protect public health.

Your department has already been a leader in developing regulations and programs to boost the fuel economy of the nation's vehicle fleet, as well as reducing greenhouse gas pollution that puts our cities, economy, and transportation infrastructure at risk. You have also supported efforts to make sure our transportation system effectively serves all users well. I hope the final rule will build on that track record by including carbon emissions and counting all modes of transportation in measuring congestion.

Thank you,