[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 20838-20839]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



INTRODUCTION OF THE ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION 
                                  ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. SHERWOOD L. BOEHLERT

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 4, 2000

  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, transportation is vital to the social and 
economic health of our nation. During the past twenty years, however, 
transportation systems have struggled to keep pace with America's 
growing and changing needs. For example, between 1970 and 1990, the 
U.S. automobile population grew almost three times faster than the 
human population. In fact, in 1995 Americans averaged about 4.3 one-way 
trips per day and about 14,000 miles per year--up from 2.9 trips and 
9,500 miles in 1977. Other forms of transportation have seen dramatic 
growth as well. Since 1980, freight railroad traffic has increased 47 
percent and the number of airports has increased 20 percent.
  Explosive transportation growth has led to inefficient movement of 
people and goods, reduced productivity, wasted energy, and increased 
congestion and emissions. A recent study conducted by the Texas 
Transportation Institute found that in 1982, ten of the 70 urban areas 
studied had unacceptable levels of congestion, but by 1996, that number 
had almost quadrupled, to 39 areas.
  As the number of cars, trucks, freight trains and planes grows and 
America's transportation network expands, the need for fuel increases. 
In 1997, the volume of imported oil exceeded domestic production for 
the first time in U.S. history. Our thirst for oil is fueled by the 
transportation sector, which uses over 65 percent of the petroleum 
consumed in the United States.
  Our transportation system is over 90 percent dependent on oil--and 
that's too much when over 50 percent our nation's oil comes from 
overseas and the price has almost quadrupled in 18 months. Powering our 
cars and buses with alternative fuel is an environmentally sound way to 
reduce our dependence on foreign oil--and it's good for the economy, 
too, because alternative fuels can be produced here at home.
  Alternative fuels, such as electricity, natural gas, methanol, 
hydrogen and propane, provide a plentiful, domestically produced and 
environmentally friendly source of energy. And, when integrated into 
America's transportation network--in meaningful quantities--
alternatively fueled vehicles (AFVs) contribute to mitigating the 
energy and environmental problems caused by the transportation sector.
  In addition, to alternative fuels, the implementation of intermodal 
transportation networks is another component to alleviating America's 
transportation problems. Intermodalism refers to interconnections among 
various modes of transportation, or the use of multiple modes of 
transportation during a single trip. Employing the concept of 
intermodalism offers the promise of lowering transportation costs, 
increasing economic productivity and efficiency, reducing the burden on 
existing infrastructure, while at the same time reducing energy 
consumption and improving air quality and the environment.
  In an attempt to address the energy and environmental concerns that 
an ``over-stressed'' transportation network has created, Congress 
passed several pieces of legislation. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 
1990, established programs and regulations directed at the mobile 
sector to decrease major automotive pollutants that are the key 
contributors to urban smog, or ozone. Today, however, nearly 100 cities 
throughout the United States continue to fail to meet federal air 
quality guidelines.
  In 1991, Congress also recognized the impact and sought to mitigate 
some of the problems associated with the growing number of cars, 
trucks, freight trains and planes in the United States when it enacted 
the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). ISTEA 
established the National Commission on Intermodal Transportation and 
tasked it with conducting a complete study of intermodal transportation 
in the US. ISTEA also established the Congestion Mitigation and Air 
Quality Improvement (CMAC) Program which provides federal funding for 
innovative transportation projects designed to assist States in meeting 
their transportation/air quality plans. The CMAC program, cuts across 
traditional areas, such as vehicle emission inspections and 
maintenance. Although inroads have been made, and intermodal 
transportation systems have been applied in the movement of goods, 
large-scale intermodal systems have yet to be meaningful applied to the 
movement of peple.
  Finally, in 1992, Congress enacted the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) 
which recognized that alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles 
(AFVs) can provide substantial environmental benefits and at the same 
time can decrease our dependence on foreign oil. EPAct included a 
modest set of tax incentives intended to support the development and 
introduction of AFVs to the market.
  Today I am introducing legislation that builds on the very important 
work that has been done as a result of these landmark bills that have 
focused our efforts on dealing with transportation, congestion, air 
quality and energy security issues holistically, rather than as 
separate non-connected issues. I believe, firmly, that we must look to 
address many of the problems created by a growing transportation system 
and the need to ensure and indeed enhance mobility as a single issue, a 
single goal. The ``Alternative Fuel Vehicles Intermodal Transportation 
Act'' provides funding for a $200 million federal pilot program to 
demonstrate the use of alternative fuel vehicles in intermodal 
applications. Importantly, the goals of the program will be 
accomplished through partnerships between Federal, State and local 
governments, metropolitan transportation authorities, industry and 
business. This legislation would help urban centers develop and 
demonstrate effective, alternative fuel transportation networks to move 
people.
  By combining intermodal transportation systems with alternative 
fuels, the United States can build transportation networks that 
efficiently and cleanly transport passengers and goods.
  In the long run, alternative fuel vehicles will obviously have to 
succeed in the marketplace entirely on their own. But the federal 
government should be doing more to encourage the development and 
deployment of alternative vehicles because there are clear public 
benefits and the technology will develop too slowly without incentives. 
In addition, public entities are the main purchasers of buses so the 
government is the market in that area.
  What will this legislation achieve? The proposed pilot program would 
assist up to 15 locations throughout the United States to put in place 
clean, innovative, linked transportation systems that reduce dependence 
on foreign oil, increase reliance on alternative fuels, enhance the 
usefulness of public transportation systems, protect the environment, 
and speed the deployment of alternative fuel technologies. Participants 
in the program would be required to match federal dollars with an equal 
contribution from State and local governments and the private sector. 
Projects would be awarded to applicants that meet criteria including: 
the number of riders served or goods transported; the ability to 
achieve national, state or local air quality goals; and the deployment 
of innovative transportation technologies or new intermodal systems 
that increase the use of alternative fuels.
  How could this legislation impact your community? Imagine a linked 
transportation system where commuters use electric station cars or 
``neighborhood electric vehicles'' to reach an electrified commuter 
train or a natural gas powered bus, which would then deliver them to 
the urban center. And once in the urban center, the same people might 
transfer to a propane-powered shuttle bus or fuel cell bus for the last 
leg of their trip to the office, the shopping district or the doctor.
  Another travel scenario that releases near zero-emissions while 
improving the quality of a

[[Page 20839]]

trip might involve the business traveler who arrives in a city by 
plane, transfers to a light rail system that deposits her in the urban 
center where she checks-out an electric ``station car'' to travel to 
meetings in three different locations. Upon concluding business, she 
returns to the light-rail station, plugs in the rented station car for 
the next driver, hops on the light rail and returns to the airport. 
This business traveler has left no environmental footprint during her 
visit to your community.
  Enhance the environment--relieve traffic congestion--increase 
alternative fuel use--effectively demonstrate viable and sustainable 
alternative fuel vehicles and their interconnected use in 
transportation networks--bring together all levels of government and 
industry as partners in this effort--and educate the public that 
alternative fuel technologies work . . . these are the goals of the 
Alternative Fuel Vehicles Intermodal Transportation Act. The price tag 
for reaching these goals is relatively modest; the price for not 
supporting this type of paradigm shift in the way we move people and 
goods is incalculable. And it is a price that will be paid not just 
with dollars, but with our natural resources, our air, and the quality 
of life for generations to come. I hope many of my colleagues will 
recognize the value and importance of this innovative program and will 
support this important legislation.

                          ____________________