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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing series focused on the role of federal transportation and infrastructure investments in strengthening communities, increasing economic opportunity, building resilience, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the lead up to the next surface transportation reauthorization bill.
The briefings in this series are:
The Process and Path Forward for a Bipartisan Surface Transportation Bill
Towards Healthier Outcomes in Surface Transportation
Next Stop: Sustainable Public Transit and Mobility
Like Trains? Then Choo- Choose to Learn About Federal Rail Policy
Shifting Gears: Policies for a More Sustainable Highway System
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a start-of-the-new-Congress briefing series, Climate Camp. We reviewed climate science, cutting-edge innovations, and the role of the legislative process in climate mitigation and adaptation.
The surface transportation bill reauthorizes federal highway, transit, and rail funding and programs every five years. This final briefing of EESI’s Congressional Climate Camp series provided a breakdown of everything decision-makers need to know ahead of the bill’s next reauthorization in 2026.
Panelists described the transportation bill’s history, including bipartisan cooperation, climate-related provisions, and external stakeholder engagement. Looking ahead, the briefing explained the general timeline for the reauthorization, the bill’s jurisdiction, and key issues across bill titles. The briefing also shared on-the-ground climate success stories from the most recent reauthorization—the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), the American Public Health Association, and Transportation for America held a briefing about the public health implications of transportation policy. As Congress embarks on the surface transportation reauthorization process, policymakers have the opportunity to revisit federal policies and investments that also shape public health, prosperity, and climate outcomes.
This briefing explored the nexus of transportation, public health, and climate change. Panelists described potential negative health outcomes, stemming from issues like air pollution and road crashes. The briefing also provided policy, process, and funding solutions that weave public health considerations into the surface transportation reauthorization process in a way that benefits both people and climate.
Tuesday, May 20 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Capitol Visitor’s Center Room SVC 208 1st St SE, Washington, DC 20515 Live webcast will be streamed at eesi.org/livecast
Each day, roughly 6,800 public transit providers across the United States carry millions of people in rural and urban communities to work, school, medical appointments, and grocery stores by bus, ferry, tram, or subway. Investing in expanded and accessible public transportation systems not only makes it possible for people to travel safely and affordably, but also reduces local air pollution, improves land use, and supports millions of jobs.
This Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) briefing will highlight federal programs and research that propel public transit forward in the United States. Panelists will discuss how federal transit investments bolster local economies, with every dollar invested in transit generating $5 in economic returns. They will also explore transit’s central role in connecting people to other forms of transportation, from walking and biking to planes and trains.
Wednesday, May 28 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Rayburn House Office Building Gold Room (Room 2168) 45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515 Live webcast will be streamed at eesi.org/livecast
Railways play a key role in American transportation and commerce, moving 28% of U.S. goods and tens of thousands of people across the country every day. The United States boasts 140,000 miles of freight rail lines underpinning an $80 billion industry that employs roughly 167,000 people. Meanwhile, Amtrak, the primary provider of U.S. passenger rail connecting people across rural and urban America, reported record ridership in fiscal year 2024 with 32.8 million passengers. From the crucial Northeast passenger rail corridor to the nation’s largest freight hub in Chicago, rail has the potential to play a key role in a decarbonized transportation sector by displacing emissions from cars, trucks, and planes.
This Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) briefing will explore the past, current, and future role of rail in the U.S. transportation sector and highlight key rail programs under the surface transportation bill. Speakers will also describe opportunities to modernize railways through electrification, faster trains, track expansion, and safety improvements.
Friday, June 13 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Online only Live webcast will be streamed at eesi.org/livecast
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing focused on the past, present, and future of the U.S. highway system. Since the end of World War II, Congress has paved the way for thousands of miles of roadways to connect U.S. towns and cities and foster economic activity. But highways have divided us as much as they have connected us. Multilane roads have bisected communities, made it hard to get around without personal vehicles, and even prevented wildlife from moving within habitats. Highways have also come with an ever-increasing price tag, with $62 billion allocated to the Federal Highway Administration for maintenance, repair, and expansion in fiscal year 2025.
This briefing will highlight how the country’s highways can be maintained in the context of a changing climate, from increasing preparedness for extreme weather events to building out electric vehicle charging corridors. Panelists will highlight opportunities for federal policy to help relocate highways to reconnect communities, use cool pavement and climate-smart building materials, and manage toxic runoff from roads. The briefing will also identify opportunities to optimize federal funding to improve the way the country’s highways connect people.
For more information, contact Dan O'Brien at [email protected] or (202) 662-1880.
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