The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a final rule repealing a requirement that state departments of transportation (DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) establish declining carbon dioxide (CO2) targets for greenhouse gas measurements.
The final rule, which is effective May 19, also repeals a component requiring DOTs and MPOs to report on progress toward the achievement of their carbon dioxide target.
“This repeal will alleviate a burden on state DOTs and MPOs that, had it been implemented, would have imposed costs with no predictable level of benefits and without clear legal authority,” states the final rule. “This final rule does not prohibit state DOTs and MPOs from choosing voluntarily to measure and assess CO2 on the NHS (National Highway System) or other roads.”
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) welcomed this development.
“NSSGA applauds the U.S. Department of Transportation’s deregulatory move to repeal the greenhouse gas emission rule that would have caused unnecessary and costly delays for infrastructure projects,” says Michele Stanley, interim CEO at NSSGA in a written statement. “Aggregates facilities are heavily regulated before, during and after operation at the local, state and federal level. NSSGA members support reasonable regulations based upon the law and sound science that allow the timely extraction of materials vital for infrastructure projects, but objected to this rule, which would have been redundant, burdensome and lacked statutory authority from Congress.”
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