[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4520 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4520
To amend title 23, United States Code, to require transportation
planners to consider projects and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2021
Mr. Huffman (for himself, Mr. Jones, Ms. Omar, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr.
Lowenthal, Ms. Tlaib, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Foster, Mr. Cleaver, Mr.
Grijalva, and Ms. Williams of Georgia) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, to require transportation
planners to consider projects and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Generating Resilient,
Environmentally Exceptional National Streets Act'' or the ``GREEN
Streets Act''.
SEC. 2. CONSIDERATION OF PROJECTS AND STRATEGIES TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS.
(a) National Goals and Performance Management Measures.--Section
150 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph
(8); and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
``(7) Combating climate change.--To reduce carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gas emissions and improve the resilience
of the transportation system.'';
(2) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking the paragraph designation
and all that follows through ``Not later'' and
inserting the following:
``(1) Rulemaking.--
``(A) In general.--Not later''; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Updates.--The Secretary shall periodically
update the rulemaking promulgated under subparagraph
(A) as necessary, including to implement the amendments
made to this section by the GREEN Streets Act.'';
(B) in paragraph (5)--
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) transit accessibility (as defined in section
5326(a) of title 49);
``(D) transit stop distance (as defined in section
5326(a) of title 49); and
``(E) transit mode share (as defined in section
5326(a) of title 49).''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(7) Greenhouse gas emissions on public roads.--For the
purpose of carrying out section 119(f)(3), the Secretary shall
establish--
``(A) minimum standards for States to use in
decreasing per capita vehicle miles traveled on public
roads, including through--
``(i) alignment of zoning and land use
policy and planning;
``(ii) investment in active and safe
transportation infrastructure, such as
sidewalks, trails, and bike lanes; and
``(iii) public transit;
``(B) minimum standards for States to use in
improving the resilience of public roads;
``(C) in consultation with the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency, minimum standards for
the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on public
roads, with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions;
and
``(D) measures for States to use to assess--
``(i) carbon dioxide emissions on public
roads; and
``(ii) any other greenhouse gas emissions
on public roads, as determined to be
appropriate by the Secretary.''; and
(3) in subsection (d)(1)--
(A) by striking ``subsection (c), each State shall
set'' and inserting ``subsection (c)(1)(A), and not
later than 1 year after each update of that rulemaking
under subsection (c)(1)(B), each State shall set or
update, as applicable,''; and
(B) by striking ``and (6)'' and inserting ``(6),
and (7)''.
(b) Metropolitan Transportation Planning.--
(1) Federal-aid highways.--Section 134(h) of title 23,
United States Code, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by redesignating subparagraphs (F)
through (J) as subparagraphs (H) through (L),
respectively; and
(ii) by inserting after subparagraph (E)
the following:
``(F) reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gas emissions;
``(G) decrease per capita vehicle miles
traveled;''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Analysis of projects that increase traffic
capacity.--In furtherance of the planning goals described in
subparagraphs (F) and (G) of paragraph (1), a metropolitan
planning organization shall conduct and publish an analysis of
the impact on per capita vehicle miles traveled, mobile source
greenhouse gas emissions, and non-single-occupancy-vehicle
trips, including trips by bicycle, pedestrian travel, public
transportation, and passenger rail, prior to approval of each
project within the metropolitan planning area that--
``(A) uses funds made available under this title to
increase traffic capacity, including--
``(i) by adding new travel lanes, including
on an existing road; or
``(ii) by converting shoulder lanes into
new travel lanes; and
``(B) is projected to receive not less than
$25,000,000 of Federal funds made available under this
title.''.
(2) Public transportation.--Section 5303(h)(1) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (I)
as subparagraphs (H) through (K), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the
following:
``(F) reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gas emissions;
``(G) decrease per capita vehicle miles
traveled;''.
(c) Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning.--
(1) Federal-aid highways.--Section 135(d) of title 23,
United States Code, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by redesignating subparagraphs (F)
through (J) as subparagraphs (H) through (L),
respectively; and
(ii) by inserting after subparagraph (E)
the following:
``(F) reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas
emissions;
``(G) decrease per capita vehicle miles
traveled;''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Analysis of projects that increase traffic
capacity.--In furtherance of the planning goals described in
subparagraphs (F) and (G) of paragraph (1), a State shall
conduct and publish an analysis of the impact on per capita
vehicle miles traveled, mobile source greenhouse gas emissions,
and non-single-occupancy-vehicle trips, including trips by
bicycle, pedestrian travel, public transportation, and
passenger rail, prior to approval of each project within the
State that--
``(A) uses funds made available under this title to
increase traffic capacity, including--
``(i) by adding new travel lanes, including
on an existing road; or
``(ii) by converting shoulder lanes into
new travel lanes; and
``(B) is projected to receive not less than
$25,000,000 of Federal funds made available under this
title.''.
(2) Public transportation.--Section 5304(d)(1) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (F) through (I)
as subparagraphs (H) through (K), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the
following:
``(F) reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse
gas emissions;
``(G) decrease per capita vehicle miles
traveled;''.
(d) National Highway Performance Program.--Section 119(f) of title
23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Conditions''
and inserting ``Conditions; Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Public
Roads''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Greenhouse gas emissions on public roads.--
``(A) Penalty.--
``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii),
if a State reports, in a performance target
report under section 150(e), that the State has
not achieved the targets of the State for
performance measures described in section
150(d) pertaining to the minimum standards for
public roads established by the Secretary under
section 150(c)(7), the State shall be required,
during the following fiscal year--
``(I) to obligate, from the amounts
apportioned to the State under section
104(b)(1), an amount that is not less
than the amount of funds apportioned to
the State for fiscal year 2009 under
the Interstate maintenance program for
the purpose of achieving the targets
through projects on Federal-aid
highways; and
``(II) to obligate, from the
amounts apportioned to the State under
section 104(b)(2) (other than amounts
suballocated to metropolitan areas and
other areas of the State under section
133(d)), an amount equal to 10 percent
of the amount of funds apportioned to
the State for fiscal year 2009 under
the Interstate maintenance program for
the purpose of achieving the targets
through projects on Federal-aid
highways.
``(ii) Increase.--Each fiscal year after
the date of enactment of this paragraph, the
amount required to be obligated under clause
(i)(I) shall be increased by 2 percent over the
amount required to be obligated in the previous
fiscal year.
``(B) Restoration.--The obligation requirement in
subparagraph (A)(i)(I) for a fiscal year shall remain
in effect for each subsequent fiscal year until the
date on which the Secretary determines that the State
has achieved the targets of the State for performance
measures described in section 150(d) pertaining to the
minimum standards for public roads established by the
Secretary under section 150(c)(7).''.
(e) Transit Accessibility.--
(1) Transit access.--Section 5326 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended--
(A) in the section heading, by inserting ``and
accessibility'' after ``management'';
(B) in subsection (a)--
(i) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3)
as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and
(ii) by inserting after paragraph (1) the
following:
``(2) Covered entity.--The term `covered entity' means--
``(A) any metropolitan planning area with a
population of not fewer than 250,000 individuals on the
date of enactment of the GREEN Streets Act; and
``(B) any State in which there exists a
metropolitan planning area with a population of not
fewer than 250,000 individuals on the date of enactment
of the GREEN Streets Act.
``(3) Transit accessibility.--The term `transit
accessibility' means the share of jobs, health care facilities,
grocery stores and other food suppliers, schools, and other
destinations accessible by public transportation in any 45-
minute period.'';
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Transit mode share.--The term `transit mode share'
means the percentage of trips taken by public transportation
for both commuting and noncommuting trips.
``(7) Transit stop distance.--The term `transit stop
distance' means the average distance by census block to the
nearest transit stop, passenger station, or terminal providing
regularly scheduled service.'';
(D) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as
subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and
(E) by inserting after subsection (b) the
following:
``(c) Transit Access.--
``(1) Standards and performance measures.--Not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of the GREEN Streets Act, the
Secretary shall establish national transit access standards and
performance measures for--
``(A) transit accessibility;
``(B) transit stop distance; and
``(C) transit mode share.
``(2) Performance targets and initial report.--Not later
than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary establishes
the standards and performance measures under paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall--
``(A) require each covered entity to--
``(i) establish targets for the covered
entity relating to each of the standards and
performance measures described in paragraph
(1); and
``(ii) submit to the Secretary a report
describing--
``(I) the performance of the
covered entity with respect to each of
the standards and performance measures
described in paragraph (1); and
``(II) by functional
classification, the share of housing
units and roadways in the covered
entity that have--
``(aa) sidewalks;
``(bb) crosswalks;
``(cc) dedicated bike
lanes; or
``(dd) other forms of
dedicated nonmotorized
facilities; and
``(B) provide technical assistance, including
analytical tools, to assist a covered entity in--
``(i) establishing targets under
subparagraph (A)(i); and
``(ii) reporting on performance under
subparagraph (A)(ii).
``(3) Subsequent reports.--
``(A) Timing.--Not later than 180 days after
receipt of the initial report under paragraph
(2)(A)(ii), the Secretary shall establish a schedule
for the submission of subsequent reports by each
covered entity.
``(B) Contents.--Each subsequent report under this
paragraph shall describe--
``(i) the progress of the covered entity in
meeting the targets of the covered entity
relating to the standards and performance
measures described in paragraph (1), including
any change in performance since the submission
of the previous report;
``(ii) any revision of existing targets or
establishment of new targets relating to the
standards and performance measures described in
paragraph (1); and
``(iii) any proposal for the revision of
existing targets or the establishment of new
targets relating to the standards and
performance measures described in paragraph
(1).
``(C) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall
provide technical assistance, including analytical
tools, to assist a covered entity in--
``(i) reporting on performance under this
paragraph; and
``(ii) establishing or revising performance
targets relating to the standards and
performance measures described in paragraph
(1).''.
(2) Metropolitan transportation planning.--Section
5303(h)(2)(B)(i)(I) of title 49, United States Code, is amended
by striking ``title 23,'' and inserting ``title 23 and section
5326,''.
(3) Conforming amendments.--
(A) Section 134(h)(2)(B)(ii) of title 23, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``5326(c)'' and
inserting ``5326(d)''.
(B) Section 135(d)(2)(B)(ii) of title 23, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``5326(c)'' and
inserting ``5326(d)''.
(C) Section 5303(h)(2)(B)(ii) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``5326(c)'' and
inserting ``5326(d)''.
(D) Section 5304(d)(2)(B)(ii) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``5326(c)'' and
inserting ``5326(d)''.
(E) Section 5337(a)(4)(B) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by striking ``5326(d)'' and
inserting ``5326(e)''.
(F) Section 24904(c)(1)(A) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended by inserting ``subsections (b),
(d), and (e) of'' after ``authorized under''.
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