Senate Democrats will draw up a new surface transportation bill that contains more aggressive proposals on climate issues and other key Democratic priorities, essentially scrapping the bipartisan bill the committee approved in the last Congress, Tanya Snyder of Politico reports.
Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), who is poised to take over the chairpersonship of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, told POLITICO through a spokesperson Friday that he will not use the bipartisan bill, S. 2302 (116), as a starting point in negotiating a new bill.
This means that the Senate could build on the bill's climate title.
NATSO supported the bill that was approved by EPW members in July 2019. NATSO was supportive of the Committee’s effort to establish a grant program that would stimulate private investment in electric vehicle charging and natural gas refueling stations along designated highway corridors. Private sector investment in alternative fuels such as electricity and natural gas are key to meeting the fueling needs of the traveling public.
NATSO strongly objected to the House Moving Forward Act after it included provisions that will discourage private businesses from investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and stifle the market’s transition to electric vehicles.
Current surface transportation law is set to expire in Sept. 2021 after Congress renewed it for one year.
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