GREEN Streets Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5465
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-19: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:49:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The GREEN Streets Act (H.R. 5465) aims to integrate climate change mitigation into U.S. transportation planning and funding. It requires federal, state, and local planners to prioritize strategies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—gases like carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming—from roads and vehicles, while enhancing system resilience to climate impacts and promoting accessible, sustainable transport options like public transit and biking.
Key Provisions
- Performance Measures for Public Roads (Section 2): Adds "combating climate change" as a national goal, focusing on reducing GHG emissions and improving road resilience. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation must establish minimum standards for states, including:
- Decreasing per-person vehicle miles traveled (VMT, a measure of driving distance) through zoning alignment, investments in sidewalks, bike lanes, public transit, and intercity rail/bus services.
- Enhancing road resilience (ability to withstand weather events like floods).
- Achieving net-zero GHG emissions on public roads, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Measuring carbon dioxide, air pollutants (including noise), and other GHGs.
- States must set or update performance targets within one year of federal updates and report progress.
- Analysis for Road Capacity Projects (Section 3): For metropolitan and statewide planning:
- Adds goals to reduce GHG emissions and per-person VMT.
- Defines "covered projects" as those using federal funds to add lanes (e.g., new travel lanes or converting shoulders) or receiving $25 million+ in federal aid.
- Requires planners (metropolitan planning organizations or states) to analyze and publicly report impacts on VMT, GHG emissions, non-car trips (e.g., biking, walking, transit, rail), and effects on environmental justice (EJ) communities—areas with higher exposure to pollution due to race, income, or Indigenous status—using EPA tools.
- Before approving new single-occupancy vehicle (SOV, solo car) capacity projects, planners must demonstrate:
- Progress in maintaining roads in "good repair" (safe, functional condition).
- Alignment with state performance targets.
- Cost-effectiveness compared to alternatives like operational fixes, public transit, or freight improvements (via benefit-cost analysis, which weighs benefits against costs).
- A public plan for ongoing maintenance.
- Similar goals added to public transportation planning.
- Funding Obligations for GHG Targets (Section 4): If a state misses GHG-related targets:
- It must spend 33% of National Highway Performance Program funds and 10% of Surface Transportation Block Grant Program funds (excluding suballocations) on targeted projects like transit expansion, service improvements, fare reductions, active transportation (e.g., bike/pedestrian paths), micromobility (e.g., e-scooters), and land-use changes (e.g., denser housing near transit).
- The highway funding percentage increases by 2% annually until targets are met; requirements persist until compliance.
- Transit Accessibility Standards (Section 5): Updates federal transit asset management rules to include accessibility:
- Defines terms like "transit accessibility" (share of jobs, healthcare, groceries, schools reachable by transit in 45 minutes), "transit stop distance" (average walk to nearest stop), "transit mode share" (percentage of trips by transit), and "first/last mile accessibility" (ease of reaching/leaving transit stops).
- Covered entities (metros with 250,000+ population and their states) must set targets and report on these metrics, plus infrastructure like sidewalks and bike lanes.
- Secretary establishes national standards within one year, with technical assistance provided.
- Reporting and Support (Section 6): Requires ongoing reports on progress, target revisions, and proposals. Provides technical tools to all entities, including rural and Tribal areas (no mandatory compliance for non-covered entities). Makes conforming changes to integrate these rules.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands Title 23 (Highways) and Title 49 (Transit): Inserts new climate and VMT goals into planning processes (sections 134, 135, 5303, 5304), which previously focused on congestion, safety, and infrastructure without explicit GHG mandates.
- Ties Funding to Climate Performance: Introduces penalties (fund reallocations) for missing targets, absent in prior law, shifting from voluntary to required actions.
- Enhances Analysis and Equity: Mandates pre-approval impact assessments for capacity projects and EJ focus, building on but exceeding existing environmental reviews (e.g., National Environmental Policy Act).
- Adds Transit Accessibility (Section 5326): Evolves asset management from maintenance-focused to include access metrics, with new reporting for larger areas.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and EPA face increased rulemaking, monitoring, and technical support duties. States and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) must revise plans, conduct analyses, and potentially redirect billions in federal highway funds (e.g., from the $52 billion+ annual Highway Trust Fund) toward transit and green projects.
- Citizens: Could improve access to jobs, healthcare, and services via better transit and walking/biking options, reducing reliance on cars and personal costs (e.g., fuel, time in traffic). EJ communities may see less pollution exposure.
- Environment and International Relations: Promotes lower U.S. transport emissions (about 29% of national total), aiding global climate commitments like the Paris Agreement. May slow highway expansion, influencing urban development.
- Economy: Shifts investments could boost jobs in transit and green infrastructure but challenge highway-dependent industries; benefit-cost requirements ensure fiscal prudence.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- States and MPOs: Primary implementers, responsible for planning, analysis, and fund obligations; may need new staff or tools.
- Transit Agencies and Local Governments: Benefit from expanded funding for services, accessibility improvements, and land-use projects; must report metrics.
- Communities, Especially EJ and Rural/Tribal: Gain from pollution reductions, better access, and input requirements; smaller areas get voluntary support.
- Citizens and Users: Drivers, transit riders, cyclists, and pedestrians affected by shifted priorities toward multimodal (multi-option) transport.
- Environmental and Advocacy Groups: Involved in input and monitoring; local community-based organizations provide expertise on analyses.
- Industry: Auto/highway sectors may face constraints on expansions; transit, rail, and micromobility providers see opportunities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens federal oversight of state transport spending under the commerce clause (government power over interstate travel/economy), but could invite lawsuits over funding conditions as "unfunded mandates" or interference in local zoning. Aligns with existing environmental laws but adds enforceable GHG targets.
- Constitutional: Raises questions on federalism (balance of national vs. state powers), as it compels state actions without direct funding increases; however, it's tied to existing federal aid, similar to past highway conditions.
- Political: Advances Biden-era climate priorities but may polarize along urban-rural lines (favoring transit in cities over rural roads). Could set precedent for climate integration in infrastructure, influencing future bills like the next surface transportation reauthorization. Neutral implementation depends on DOT rulemaking to avoid overreach.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-19: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- 2025-09-18: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Generating Resilient, Environmentally Exceptional National Streets Act — issued 2025-09-18 — PDF (23 pages)