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Which U.S. states rank best for greening transportation?

By Wendy Koch, USA TODAY

Almost all U.S. states have transportation policies that either fail to curb carbon emission rates or actually increase them, says a 50-state analysis Tuesday by two environmental groups.

California, New Jersey and Maryland earned top marks for using their transportation dollars effectively in a way that will reduce carbon emissions, according to the report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Smart Growth America.

Aside from those three states, which earned 82, 77 and 75 points respectively, the other top scorers included Connecticut (70 points), Washington (68), Oregon (65), Massachusetts (64), Rhode Island (61), Delaware and Minnesota (each 59.).

Yet the report says few states adequately assess carbon emissions when deciding whether to build new highways or maintain existing ones or how much money -- if any -- to spend on public transit. It says only 15 states provide incentives for clean transportation commuting or have implemented policies to curb sprawl.

Transportation is the second largest and second-fastest growing U.S. source of carbon pollution after electricity generation, yet current state policies do not recognize the connection, according to the report, which examined 17 policy options.

"Most states' transportation departments seem to be ignoring their important role in stopping climate change," said Colin Peppard, NRDC's deputy director of federal transportation policy, in a statement. "If states considered all their transportation policy options, they could tap into tremendous potential to reduce carbon emissions, even with limited resources."

The report ranked these five states as lowest: Arkansas (2 points), Mississippi (12), West Virginia (13), North Dakota and Nebraska (each 18.)

The report's authors say that states, and the federal government, should spend transportation money more effectively to promote low-carbon, low-cost options and to repair existing roads and bridges rather than build new ones.

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