Committee advances bill targeting state’s greenhouse gas emissions targets

The old reminder, “safety first,” might be placed into statute.

An assemblage of multiple changes to how the state assesses and mitigates greenhouse gas emissions for some trunk highway projects, HF748 would also prioritize some specific transportation goals. One is that greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets would be subject to change, based on a state transportation goal of minimization of fatalities and injuries.

On Wednesday, the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee approved the bill, sponsored by Rep. Jon Koznick (R-Lakeville), by an 8-7 party-line vote after it was amended, then amended again.

“The new regulations that were put in last biennium put the burden on the state’s roads and bridge systems to bear the cost of reducing those emissions without providing necessary funds to offset those mitigations,” Koznick said. “The law states that if the greenhouse gas and vehicle miles traveled cannot be reduced by rescoping the project, they must be mitigated. And, if they can’t be mitigated, then the project has to be stopped.

“I understand that the undoing of the program is not politically feasible,” Koznick continued. “So this bill narrows the number of projects that would trigger assessments and mitigation, since there is no funding. … It assures that the critical safety projects continue if they can’t be mitigated. We need to prioritize safety.”

Rep. Erin Koegel (DFL-Spring Lake Park) was among the DFL members who voted against the bill.

“We need to think bigger about our communities,” she said. “I think this is really narrow-minded when we’re saying that safety and cost are more important than a holistic, healthy environment.”

“This is a false choice,” said Rep. Larry Kraft (DFL-St. Louis Park). “We actually have been doing a process like this for 30 years. Something called wetlands mitigation. If a road project is going to impact wetlands, it must be mitigated. We’ve been doing that. There’s been no safety exemption. We know how to do this.

“The real key thing here is the rethinking. Do we have a department of transportation, or do we have a department of roads and cars?”