[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 36 (Thursday, March 6, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3268-S3269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Ms. Collins):
  S. 547. A bill to encourage energy conservation through bicycling; to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Conserve by 
Bike Act to promote energy conservation and improve public health. I am 
pleased to be joined by my colleagues from Maine, Senator Susan 
Collins, in introducing this measure. This legislation addresses one 
part of our Nation's energy challenges. Although there is no single 
solution, every possible approach must be considered in order to solve 
our energy problems.
  Our Nation would realize several benefits from the increased use of 
bicycle transportation, including lessened dependence on foreign oil 
and prevention of harmful air emissions. Currently, less than one trip 
in one hundred, .88 percent, is by bicycle. If we can raise our level 
of cycling to one and a half trips per hundred, which is less than one 
bike trip every two weeks for the average person, we will save more 
than 462 million gallons of gasoline in a year, worth more than $721 
million. That is the equivalent of one day a year we will not need to 
import any foreign oil.
  In addition to fostering greater independence from foreign oil 
supplies, this bill will help mitigate air quality challenges, which 
can be harmful to public health and the environment. Unlike automotive 
transportation, bicycling is emissions-free.
  The Conserve by Bike Act encourages bicycling through two key 
components: a pilot program and a research project. The Conserve by 
Bike Pilot Program established by this legislation would be implemented 
by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Department would fund up 
to ten pilots throughout the country that would utilize education and 
marketing tools to encourage people to convert some of their car trips 
to bike trips. Each of these pilot projects must: 1. document project 
results and energy conserved; 2. facilitate partnerships among 
stakeholders in two or more of the following fields: transportation, 
law enforcement, education, public health, and the environment; 3. 
maximize current bicycle facility investments; 4. demonstrate methods 
that can be replicated in other locations; and 5. produce ongoing 
programs that are sustained by local resources.
  This legislation also directs the Transportation Research Board of 
the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a research project on 
converting car trips to bike trips. The study will consider: 1. what 
car trips Americans can reasonably be expected to make by bike, given 
such factors as weather, land use, and traffic patterns, carrying 
capacity of bicycles, and bicycle infrastructure; 2. what energy 
savings would result, or how much energy could be conserved, if these 
trips were converted from car to bike; 3. the cost-benefit analysis of 
bicycle infrastructure investments; and 4. what factors could encourage 
more car trips to be replaced with bike trips. The study also will 
identify lessons we can learn from the documented results of the pilot 
programs.
  The Conserve by Bike Program is a small investment that has the 
potential to produce significant returns: greater independence from 
foreign oil and a healthier environment and population. The Conserve by 
Bike Act authorizes a total of $6.2 million to carry out the pilot 
programs and research. A total of $5,150,000 will be used to implement 
the pilot projects; $300,000 will be used by the Department of 
Transportation to coordinate, publicize, and disseminate the results of 
the program; and $750,000 will be utilized for the research study.
  The provisions in this bill enjoy strong, bipartisan support and 
passed as an amendment to last year's Senate energy bill. The measure 
is endorsed by the League of American Bicyclists, which has over 
300,000 affiliates, as well as the Association of Pedestrian and 
Bicycle Professionals, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Thunderhead 
Alliance, Bikes Belong Coalition, Adventure Cycling, International 
Mountain Bicycling Association, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, and the 
League of Illinois Bicyclists.
  By enacting the Conserve by Bike Act, we can reduce our energy 
dependence, reduce harmful air emissions, and improve public health. I 
urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Conserve by Bike Act and join me in 
making a responsible investment in cleaner, healthier and more energy 
efficient future.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 547

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. CONSERVE BY BICYCLING PROGRAM.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Program.--The term ``program'' means the Conserve by 
     Bicycling Program established by subsection (b).
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Transportation.
       (b) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of Transportation a program to be known as the 
     ``Conserve by Bicycling Program''.
       (c) Projects.--
       (1) In general.--In carrying out the program, the Secretary 
     shall establish not more than 10 pilot projects that are--
       (A) dispersed geographically throughout the United States; 
     and
       (B) designed to conserve energy resources by encouraging 
     the use of bicycles in place of motor vehicles.
       (2) Requirements.--A pilot project described in paragraph 
     (1) shall--
       (A) use education and marketing to convert motor vehicle 
     trips to bicycle trips;
       (B) document project results and energy savings (in 
     estimated units of energy conserved);
       (C) facilitate partnerships among interested parties in at 
     least 2 of the fields of--
       (i) transportation;
       (ii) law enforcement;
       (iii) education;
       (iv) public health;
       (v) environment; and
       (vi) energy;
       (D) maximize bicycle facility investments;
       (E) demonstrate methods that may be used in other regions 
     of the United States; and
       (F) facilitate the continuation of ongoing programs that 
     are sustained by local resources.
       (3) Cost sharing.--At least 20 percent of the cost of each 
     pilot project described in paragraph (1) shall be provided 
     from State or local sources.
       (d) Energy and Bicycling Research Study.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into a 
     contract with the National Academy of Sciences for, and the 
     National Academy of Sciences shall conduct and submit to 
     Congress a report on, a study on the feasibility of 
     converting motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips.
       (2) Components.--The study shall--
       (A) document the results or progress of the pilot projects 
     under subsection (b);
       (B) determine the type and duration of motor vehicle trips 
     that people in the United States may feasibly make by 
     bicycle, taking into consideration factors such as--
       (i) weather;
       (ii) land use and traffic patterns;
       (iii) the carrying capacity of bicycles; and
       (iv) bicycle infrastructure;
       (C) determine any energy savings that would result from the 
     conversion of motor vehicle trips to bicycle trips;
       (D) include a cost-benefit analysis of bicycle 
     infrastructure investments; and
       (E) include a description of any factors that would 
     encourage more motor vehicle trips to be replaced with 
     bicycle trips.
       (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $6,200,000, to 
     remain available until expended, of which--
       (1) $5,150,000 shall be used to carry out pilot projects 
     described in subsection (c);
       (2) $300,000 shall be used by the Secretary to coordinate, 
     publicize, and disseminate the results of the program; and
       (3) $750,000 shall be used to carry out subsection (e).

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from 
Illinois in reintroducing this legislation to recognize and promote 
bicycling's important impact on energy savings and public health.
  With America becoming more and more dependent on foreign oil, it is 
vital that we look to the contribution that bike travel can make toward 
solving our Nation's energy challenges.

[[Page S3269]]

This legislation would establish a Conserve by Bike pilot program that 
would oversee pilot projects throughout the country designed to 
conserve energy resources by providing education and marketing tools to 
convert car trips to bike trips. Right now, fewer than one trip in one 
hundred is by bicycle. If we could increase this statistic to one and a 
half trips per hundred, we would save over 462 million gallons of 
gasoline in a year, worth over $721 million.
  While more bike trips would benefit our energy conservation efforts, 
that would also help improve the public's health. According to the U.S. 
Surgeon General, fewer than one-third of Americans meet Federal 
recommendations to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical 
activity at least 5 days a week. Even more disturbing is the fact that 
approximately 300,000 U.S. death a year are associated with being obese 
or overweight. By promoting biking, we are working to ensue that 
Americans will increase their physical activity.
  The Conserve by Bike Act has received widespread support on the 
national, state, and local level, and I urge my colleagues to support 
this legislation.
                                 ______