The transportation industries are some of the most regulated in the US economy. PACE has several transportation clients who have a multitude of issues before the respective House and Senate Committees of jurisdiction, as well as the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Congress is expected to work with the Administration on an infrastructure bill that will provide resources for a wide range of infrastructure projects, including building and maintaining highways, roads, and bridges. Opportunities can be created by engaging with the Administration and lawmakers on Capitol Hill as they consider the infrastructure initiative.
The automotive industry is also involved in the Mid-Term Review as it relates to regulations related to Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards and Greenhouse Gas emissions for motor vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are involved in the rulemaking process. Stakeholders, including motor vehicle manufacturers, auto part suppliers, and automobile dealers, have a significant stake in the outcome of the process, since the fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks have competitiveness implications for the automotive industry.
Due to a patchwork of state laws that have recently been passed to regulate autonomous vehicles, the House of Representatives and the Senate are working on legislation to provide a federal pre-emption of state laws in order to assist with the development and deployment of autonomous vehicles. This is a transformational time in the car and truck industry, and the framework of laws that are enacted will be critical to the development of these vehicles.
All companies engaged in air transportation in the US are subject to the regulations implemented by the Department of Transportation (DOT). Further, the airlines are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Congress has been involved in a FAA reauthorization effort that could modernize the air traffic control system in significant ways. This could realize change in the areas of flight operations, maintenance, and other safety and technical matters.
PACE also represents clients in oil, gas, and alternative fuels industries. For the past decade, PACE has been involved in discussions ranging from motor vehicle fuel cells to using natural gas as a transportation fuel. Reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), as well as addressing the merit of whether to continue the energy tax extenders, including a tax credit for alternative fuel and alternative fuel motor vehicles are decisions federal lawmakers need to address.