To achieve its stated emissions reduction goal, the Greater Washington area must sharply reduce driving and speed up the adoption of electric vehicles.

A Climate Change Mitigation Study from the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) reveals that to reduce emissions by 50 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, the D.C. region must shift travel modes to cut driving by 20 percent and boost EV sales to half or more of new vehicles, reports Bill Pugh.
Unless every single driver switched to an electric vehicle immediately—according to the article, "a hypothetical impossibility"—reducing automobile dependence by making communities more walkable and boosting public transit is the only way to effectively reduce air pollution and meet regional climate goals.
The study was undertaken after the TPB's initial climate plan received criticism for not setting specific driving reduction goals. According to the study, the region must implement "a comprehensive approach of transit-oriented and walkable land use for new development, meeting the region’s adopted goals to build more housing near transit and make it affordable, improving transit travel times and access to stations, reducing transit fares, pricing parking in job centers, and assuming a continued high level of telework." Additional strategies include road pricing and fare-free transit. Pugh notes that the study poses some important questions for future policy as the TPB develops its 2045 long-range transportation plan next year.
FULL STORY: Here’s what it will take for Greater Washington to cut climate pollution from cars and trucks fast enough

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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