Summary of Policy Options in State Climate Action Plans

Twenty-seven states have adopted specific greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, and have completed climate action plans that identify policies and programs designed to meet those  targets.  Approaches for reducing GHGs in the transportation sector typically address vehicle efficiency and low-carbon fuels – the traditional U.S. approaches – as well as measures designed  to reduce annual vehicle use, as measured by vehicle miles traveled (VMT).  Vehicle- and fuelrelated policies include those related to fuel-efficient and alternative fuel vehicles, low-carbon fuels, and alternative fuel infrastructure. VMT reduction measures include alternatives to passenger vehicle travel, low-carbon goods movement, land use policies that incentivize compact  development, and incentives and disincentives aimed at changing corporate, government and individual behavior.

This document provides a summary of 43 greenhouse gas reduction strategies for the transportation and land use sectors identified in the climate action plans of Pennsylvania, Virginia and nine of the ten states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The number in brackets following each measure indicates how many of the states include that measure in their plan.