Biden administration to propose requiring states to set tailpipe emissions targets

The U.S. Transportation Department on Thursday is announcing it is proposing to require state transportation agencies to set declining targets for reducing tailpipe emissions on the national highway system.

The department's Federal Highway Administration told Reuters states will have flexibility "to set targets that work for their respective climate change policies and other policy priorities, so long as they are in line with the net-zero goals by 2050 set forth in this rule."

States would also be required to report on their progress in meeting the targets under the proposed rule. Currently, state laws require 24 states and the District of Columbia to set targets and track their greenhouse gas emissions.