The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today praised the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) final rule on new national performance measures for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. This rule provides a framework for states to measure GHGs consistently across state lines, which means we can best measure our progress and identify pain points together rather than in a vacuum.
In 2022, Connecticut joined nine other states and the District of Columbia, expressing support for the new rule.
Transportation is the largest contributor to GHG and accounts for 37% of emissions in Connecticut. The final rule strengthens CTDOT’s ability to assess GHG emissions from transportation and marks another step towards understanding and further reducing these emissions to tackle the impact of climate change.
“We can’t improve what we don’t measure,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “The final rule will guide our agency’s work in eliminating greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the impacts of climate change. CTDOT is proud to support this final rule and will continue to collaborate with FHWA and our peer state DOTs to reduce our state’s GHG emissions.”
This national rule aligns with Connecticut’s executive order 21-3 signed in 2021 directing CTDOT to set a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction target for 2030, as well as a section of the recently passed Public Act 23-135 which also requires CTDOT to biennially establish a transportation carbon dioxide reduction target for the state that sets the maximum amount of carbon dioxide emissions allowed from the transportation sector by October 2030.
For more information on the FHWA final rule, click here.