Statement of Senator James M. Jeffords
Transportation and Air Quality
July 30, 2002
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our hearing on Transportation
and Air Quality. In particular, I
want to thank our witnesses, many of whom have traveled great distances to lend
a hand as we consider renewal of our nation=s surface transportation program.
Today=s topic - Transportation and Air Quality
- is a particularly appropriate one for the Committee on Environment and Public
Works. Since 1837, this Committee has
guided federal investments to enhance the nation. Its early history, as the Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, featured stewardship of the growing Federal City of Washington
D.C. In 1956, the then Committee on
Public Works reported the Federal Aid Highway Act, creating the modern
Interstate Highway System. In 1963, the Committee took on the challenge of air
and water pollution control. And in
1977 the Committee was given responsibility for wildlife resources and given
its current full name.
In 1991, the members of this Committee were the driving force behind
the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. ISTEA brought a new approach to transportation. With completion of the Interstate Highway
System, our focus shifted toward integration of the various modes of
transportation - highway, transit, aviation and rail.
ISTEA also brought greater attention to transportation=s influence on our communities and the lives
of our citizens. We recognized that
investment in transportation is not an end in itself; it is a means to an
end.
I was a member of the Committee in 1991. I believed then, and I believe today, that the ends we seek
should be a strong economy, healthy communities and a clean environment. And clean air is essential to each of these
outcomes.
Over the past year, this Committee has spent considerable time on air
pollution. We have focused on emissions
from stationary sources and power plants in particular. This included marking up the Clean Power
Act, a bill which significantly reduces emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, mercury, and carbon dioxide.
I=m pleased that the Administration has
finally, after much delay, sent up its 3 pollutant bill. Unfortunately, it=s much too late in this Congress for it to be
considered. From a quick review, it
appears that the legislation provides too little in the way of reductions and
they come much too late. The bill also
ignores the dire warnings in the Administration=s own report about global warming, which is caused in part by U.S.
power plant emissions of carbon dioxide.
Last August, the Committee held a general hearing on the impact of
emissions from the transportation sector on public health and the
environment. We found that statutory
and regulatory limits on individual mobile sources and technology improvements
will reduce total emissions of conventional pollutants from the sector. But, we also found that transportation will
continue to be a significant source of our non-attainment problems, not to
mention a major contributor to urban air toxics exposure or to global
warming.
Today we will hear more testimony about the progress that has been made
to control air pollution from transportation.
We will hear the good news that today=s motor vehicles are cleaner burning than earlier models, so that each
car or truck pollutes less. But, we
will hear that Americans are driving so much more that many of the technology
gains have been offset.
We will hear that the low emitting transportation control measures
encouraged in our most polluted cities and regions have so far produced modest
results. As cars get cleaner, some will
suggest that investment in transit, or bicycle lanes, or more walkable
development patterns may not be worthwhile.
But we know that a pedestrian or a transit rider generates far less
pollution per passenger mile than a motorist in even the cleanest of today=s cars.
We will hear that the process used to manage transportation pollution -
conformity - is not always the most efficient.
Achieving the twin goals of clean air and improved mobility is
complicated and relies on the coordination of many people and resources. It takes cooperation and sound
information.
In summary, we will hear that our campaign to clean up the
transportation sector is well underway but has a long way to go. And as we renew the overall surface
transportation program, we can and should refine the air quality linkage to
build on success and make improvements.
Today=s hearing is the eighth in our
Reauthorization series. We began in
January, and will wrap up later this fall. Through these hearings, we have
explored a wide range of topics, but with a consistent theme. We have called upon experts from around the
nation to share the lessons they have learned over the last ten years. And we have asked them to cite any changing
conditions that they foresee. Based
then upon lessons learned and changing conditions, we have sought fresh ideas
for improving our current national transportation program.
We have assembled a fine panel of witnesses today and I look forward to
their insights.
Our first panel will represent the Administration. I am pleased to welcome Administrator Mary
Peters, of the Federal Highway Administration and Assistant Administrator
Jeffrey Holmstead of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Our second panel brings perspectives from around the nation. First and foremost, I am delighted to be
joined this morning by Scott Johnstone, the Secretary of the Agency of Natural
Resources from my State of Vermont.
Welcome, Scott. I=m guessing it=s a bit cooler in the Green Mountains today than here on Capital Hill!
Also on our second panel is the Honorable Ron Harris, county Judge from
Collin County, Texas. Ron serves on the
Board of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the metropolitan
planning organization for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He is also chair of the North Texas Clean Air Steering Committee.
Lynn Terry is the Deputy Executive Officer of the California Air
Resources Board. Lynn will tell us
about recent developments in the Golden State.
James Stevenson wears many hats.
He is president of Yancy Brothers Company, a construction equipment
supplier. He is also on the board of
the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority in the Atlanta area. Today, James represents the American Road
and Transportation Builders Association, on whose board he also sits.
Finally, Michael Replogle is with us today. Michael is the Transportation Director for the non-profit group,
Environmental Defense and a frequent witness before committees of Congress.
Again, my thanks to all of the witnesses.