Four federal agencies sign agreement to work together on clean transportation

The Biden Administration launched an initiative involving four federal agencies to accelerate efforts to foster the advancement of clean transportation.

The U.S. Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signed a memorandum of understanding to work collectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation sector.

The agencies will work closely with states, local communities, Tribal communities, labor unions, nonprofits, and the private sector to advance low- and zero-emission transportation solutions to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

“A modernized transportation sector, equipped with accessible clean energy technologies, is critical for providing commuting options that are more affordable, more secure, and produce less polluting,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “This MOU exemplifies President Biden’s whole-of-government approach to bringing the benefits of a decarbonized transportation sector directly to Americans and positioning the United States to be a global leader in clean transportation manufacturing and deployment.”

Domestic transportation, both passenger and freight, produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector.

“With this agreement, we will collaborate across the federal government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deliver the clean transportation future that Americans want and deserve,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

The agencies will look to increase access to more efficient modes of transportation like walking, biking, transit and rail, while lowering the costs of electric vehicles and other zero-emission vehicles.

“Under the leadership of President Biden, EPA is working with our federal partners to aggressively reduce pollution that is harming people and our planet – while saving families money at the same time,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, said. “At EPA, our priority is to protect public health, especially in overburdened communities, while advancing the President’s ambitious climate agenda. This MOU is a step forward in delivering on those goals and accelerating the transition to a clean transportation future.”

The MOU commits the agencies to release a comprehensive blueprint for decarbonizing the transportation sector within 90 days of the MOU signing. The blueprint will ensure a coordinated whole-of-government approach to address challenges to achieving widespread and equitable decarbonization of the domestic transportation sector.