The Biden administration has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among four federal agencies to accelerate the nation’s clean transportation future. The U.S. Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will work collectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation sector and to ensure resilient and accessible mobility options for all Americans.
Working closely with states, local communities, Tribal communities, labor unions, nonprofits and the private sector, the agencies will combine efforts to advance low- and zero-emission transportation solutions to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, create clean transportation jobs, and support President Biden’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions economy-wide by 2050.
“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,” states U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “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.”
The agencies will lower the costs of electric vehicles (EV) and other zero-emission vehicles and fuels. The MOU commits the agencies to release – within 90 days of the MOU signing – a comprehensive blueprint for decarbonizing the transportation sector that will help guide future policy decisions, as well as research, development, demonstration and deployment in the public and private sectors. This includes modernizing the grid to meet increased demands from the EV 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,” comments U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“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,” adds U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan. “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 people HUD serves deserve clean, affordable transportation options,” mentions U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “HUD is proud to join our federal partners at Energy, DOT, and EPA to ensure that clean transportation investments are made equitably and include communities and households that have been most harmed by environmental injustice. We look forward to working together to better align transportation, housing, and community development investments in these and other communities across the country.”
Read the complete memorandum of understanding here.
