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"a bi-monthly journal of environmental news and commentary..."
ISTEAFunding for transportation alternatives
by Larry Leveen
What is ISTEA?
In 1991, Congress passed a law entitled the "Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act," commonly known as "ISTEA." The law dictates how $20 billion of taxpayer money is spent every year on transportation. Most of the funds generated by the federal gas tax is put into a "trust fund" redistributed from the U.S. Department of Transportation to state Departments of Transportation to pay for improvements to the nation's transportation system.
ISTEA creates numerous funding programs to ensure that states spend the money in a way that balances state and local needs with the national interest. For example, the National Highway System program focuses on highways while the Surface Transportation Program is more of a block grant to states to spend on state and local priorities such as highways, transit, bike or pedestrian transportation, etc.
ISTEA is not simply a "bike law." It helps fund all modes of transportation (see sidebar "ISTEA $ in Thurston County"), but its effects on bicycle transportation are quite noteworthy. Within the Surface Transportation Program, two pots of money, Transportation Enhancements and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ), have enabled bicycle safety and access projects to receive in excess of $1 billion over the past five years. For comparison, prior to ISTEA, almost no federal money was spent on improving conditions for cyclists. Indeed, the amount of money spent for cycling the last five years is greater than all previous years combined!
By providing funding sources for transportation alternatives, ISTEA is also an important environmental law. Consider these facts:
- Transportation accounts for roughly half of the energy use in Washington. (WSDOE, 1993)
- Motor vehicles generate 40% of Washington's air pollution. (WSDOT, 1992)
- More than 3 million Washington residents - 60% - breathe air polluted at levels considered unsafe, with small particle pollution claiming approximately 100 deaths a year and toxic air pollutants responsible for 150 cancer cases a year. Workplace absenteeism from such effects and reduced tourism deprive the state of about $1 billion a year. (WSDOT, 1993)
- Motor vehicles contribute 43% of Washington's pollution in the following forms: 1 million tons of carbon monoxide, 106,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, 188,000 tons of volatile organic compounds (mainly hydrocarbons), 3,000 tons of particulates from combustion and 177,000 tons of fine particulates from road dust. (WSDOT, 1993) -}
ISTEA is not simply a transportation law, however. Transportation planning/funding are inseparably related to land use. Together they shape the livability of our communities. By increasing public involvement in transportation planning, ISTEA also helps preserve democracy by giving people a voice in how tax dollars are spent in their communities.
The Fight Over ISTEA Reauthorization
ISTEA is now at the end of its lifespan and requires reauthorization by Congress in order to continue. Because of its great effect on cycling, the banner of ISTEA reauthorization has largely been taken up by cyclists (which accounts for the bike-centrism of this article). The Bicycle Federation of America, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the League of American Bicyclists have formed the Bikes Belong! campaign to protect ISTEA this federal legislative session. These national groups have helped mobilize regional and local organizations to create political pressure to save the law. Interestingly, proponents of ISTEA are joined by the bicycle industry. Companies like Shimano, Trek and Specialized among others have donated significant sums to the campaign and help spread the word about the struggle through advertisements. It has been a unique and heartening example of public-private partnership to preserve the quality of life in our communities.
Much of ISTEA's strength is due to the fact that highway interests were, to borrow a phrase, "asleep at the wheel" when the law was drafted. Charlie Gandy of the Bicycle Federation of America warned that this time around they will not be. His comment is somewhat of an understatement - highway interests have been extremely aggressive in trying to destroy ISTEA's structure and raid its funding. Not surprisingly, these big-money interests have powerful friends in Congress. Among the threats to ISTEA are:
- The "STARS-2000" bill, introduced by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), would reshape ISTEA to reduce funding for bike-safe streets. This proposal has not drawn much support in Congress and is not considered a significant threat by proponents of ISTEA.
- The "STEP 21" bill (S335 in the Senate and HR674 in the House) would increase funding for highways by 40%, gut funding of current environmental programs and cut money going directly to local governments by 30%. In short, "STEP 21" would roll back the past five years of progress in creating more balanced transportation systems in our communities and stanch the effort to make transportation planning more democratic. The proposal has wider support than STARS-2000 and may be used as a justification for weakening the final version of ISTEA.
- A proposal by Rep. Bud Shuster (R-PA.), Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, would allow states to divert 50 percent of funds from ISTEA's Enhancements and CMAQ programs (the main source of funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects) to other highway programs. Shuster claims it give power back to the states, but considering that states have traditionally been pro-highway to the detriment of alternatives, it is a thinly veiled move to shift funding for alternatives to build more highways. -}
Throughout the Congressional session, support has been building on both sides of the aisle to retain the overall aims and structure of ISTEA. Now the fight is to retain the formulas and rules that govern how federal transportation dollars are used. The Clinton Administration has communicated its support of Enhancements and CMAQ programs, but foes of transportation alternatives have significant power to shape the legislation prior to a floor vote. Fighting Shuster's proposal has become a suddenly urgent need, due to recently released plans by the committee he chairs to finalize its ISTEA Reauthorization bill before Memorial Day. May 20 is his target date for a committee vote on the bill. Due to the huge scope of the bill, the vote may be delayed, giving the public time to contact committee members to voice their support for a strong ISTEA. Even if the committee vote is on-time, the floor votes can still prove decisive, so public input can still be crucial.
How to Help
Below are organizations and individuals that have power to directly affect the battle over ISTEA reauthorization and preserve the law's social and environmental power.
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