Evaluating GHG Reduction Measures - Transportation Sector
The U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization
- The U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization is a landmark strategy for cutting all greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector by 2050. The Blueprint was developed by the EPA, along with Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The transportation sector—which includes all modes of travel through land, air, and sea to move people and goods—accounts for a third of all domestic greenhouse gas emissions, negatively affecting the health and well-being of millions of Americans, particularly those in disadvantaged communities. A well-planned transition to a decarbonized transportation system can address these and other inequities and provide equitable, affordable, and accessible options for moving people and goods. Section 4 of the Blueprint is titled, “Strategies to Decarbonize Transportation,” and discusses various strategies that can be implemented to achieve a clean, safe, secure, accessible, affordable, equitable, and decarbonized transportation system.
Travel Efficiency Strategies
· Travel efficiency refers to a broad range of strategies designed to reduce travel activity, especially single-occupancy travel, and emissions of criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases. Travel Efficiency strategies include employer-based transportation management programs, transit improvements, transportation pricing, land use changes, and bicycle and pedestrian strategies.
Port Initiative Technical Resources for Ports
· EPA’s Ports Initiative has prepared a number of technical resources, assessments, and strategy documents to inform port stakeholders about potential emission reduction strategies.
SmartWay and Sustainable Transportation Supply Chains
· EPA’s SmartWay program helps freight shippers, carriers, logistics companies and other stakeholders partner with EPA to measure, benchmark and improve logistics operations so they can reduce their environmental footprint, including reducing emissions of GHG and other pollutants. Organizations that share SmartWay’s freight-efficiency goals and principles (e.g., non-profit organizations, air pollution control agencies, and state and local governments) may participate as a SmartWay Affiliate. SmartWay has developed a list of verified technologies and strategies to improve performance that save fuel and reduce emissions. Since 2004, SmartWay has helped partners avoid emitting 152 million metric tons of CO2, 2.7 million short tons of NOx, and 112,000 short tons of particulate matter.
State and Local Transportation Resources
· EPA’s “Guidance on Control Strategies for State and Local Agencies” website includes guidance documents that cover specific strategies for reducing onroad emissions, including commuter programs, diesel retrofit and replacements (includes replacing diesel vehicles and equipment with electric vehicles and equipment), land use, locomotive idle reduction, transportation control measures, and transportation pricing.
Smart Growth Resources
· "Smart growth" covers a range of development and conservation strategies that help protect our health and natural environment and make our communities more attractive, economically stronger, and more socially diverse. Smart growth strategies help communities grow in ways that expand economic opportunity while protecting human health and the environment. Development guided by smart growth principles can minimize air and water pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage cleanup and reuse of contaminated properties, and preserve natural lands. For more information about smart growth, see EPA’s Smart Growth website.
Roadside Vegetation Recommendations Report
· This Roadside Vegetation Recommendations Report summarizes the research findings on the best practices for building roadside vegetative barriers to improve air quality and could be useful for any plan considering CO2 sequestration and methane removal: . This resource can ensure the plantings provide GHG and air quality benefits and avoid the unintended consequences that improperly designed and planted vegetation can create.