NATIONAL NEWS
Mashable: Failing infrastructure endangers drinking water systems across the U.S.
Deep inside a complex of huge tanks, drinking water for Iowa's capital city is constantly cleansed of the harmful nitrates that come from the state's famously rich farmland.
USA Today: Study: Car sales will grow, but so will car sharing
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/09/28/car-sharing-mckinsey/72989246/
Global new car sales will soar from 70 million in 2010 to 125 million by 2025, but the way those cars are used and who will own them is going to change rapidly according to a new report from the McKinsey consulting firm.
STATE NEWS
The Record: Christie willing to raise N.J. gas tax if it's offset by other cuts
Governor Christie said Monday he is open to raising the state gas tax — a rare shift after years of railing against New Jersey’s high cost of living.
Baltimore Business Journal: Losing Red Line a 'self-inflicted wound' for Maryland, Ben Cardin tells GBC crowd
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2015/09/28/losing-red-line-a-self-inflicted-wound-for.html
Maryland's congested roads will keep companies and people from relocating here. No transit solutions are on their way for Greater Baltimore now that the Red Line is no more. And nationally, money for highways and transit remain tied up in Congress' budget battles.
NextCity: Ferries Are Key to Future of New York Commuting
https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/new-york-ferries-commuting-future
The Boston–Washington corridor is the nation’s most populous and economically productive mega-region, accounting for 20 percent of U.S. gross domestic product. If it were its own country, it would have the world’s fourth-largest economy. Critical to that economy is access to and through the island of Manhattan via tunnels under the Hudson River, yet train passengers traveling through them this summer were stranded multiple times on the tracks — for hours. Those people need no reminder that these vital arteries are corroded and dying.
The Seattle Times: Murray: City needs bikes, body cameras, new planning department in 2016
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray’s proposed 2016 budget would buy body cameras for every police officer on patrol in the city and add staff for a new planning department.
Washington Post: Home is where your bike is
https://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2015/09/28/home-is-where-your-bike-is/
Some renters want to live close to a Metro station. Others look for a building with reasonably priced parking. But for a growing number of District residents, a place to park one’s bike is the most crucial component of apartment living.
Houston Chronicle: Paris restricted cars in some neighborhoods, and Houston could, too
Paris restricted automobile traffic in certain parts of the city on Sunday, and amazingly, the city didn't devolve to the Middle Ages during the seven hours of the experiment. A lot of people said it was really nice, and it started a decent conversation on the effects vehicles have on air quality in cities. The Guardian has a great write-up.
POLITICO MORNING TRANSPORTATION
By Jennifer Scholtes | 09/29/2015 05:41AM EDT
With help from Lauren Gardner, Kathryn A. Wolfe and Matthew Korade
DODGING SHUTDOWN, JUST IN TIME: Sometime before the Senate gavels out today, the chamber is expected to pass its latest stopgap spending bill to keep the government funded through Dec. 11. And then it will be incumbent upon the House to clear the measure before fiscal 2016 begins on Thursday. The shutdown worries that seemed so warranted last week now appear to have been an overreaction in light of the Senate's overwhelmingly supportive vote (77-19) Monday night to move forward with the plan and House leaders' newfound confidence that they too will be able to pull this off since Speaker John Boehner has announced his intention to resign.
Bigger battle: POLITICO's Seung Min Kim reports that, following Senate passage, "the House will quickly take up the bill and send it to President Barack Obama, just in time to avoid a government shutdown. But the stopgap bill sets up an even bigger spending fight on Capitol Hill in December, when Democrats and Republicans will battle over a broader budget deal." Meanwhile, Stan Collender writes for POLITICO Magazine that "all the factors that make a shutdown this week so improbable will make it far more likely to happen near the end of the year."
IT'S TUESDAY: Good morning and thanks for reading POLITICO's Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on trains, planes, automobiles and ports.
Reach out: jscholtes@politico.com or @jascholtes.
PRESSURE SHIFTS TO SENATE ON FAA PATCH: It's now up to senators to clear the FAA extension since the House did its job Monday by rapidly passing the six-month patch. Although there's no promises in the Senate, where it takes behind-the-scenes agreement or laborious procedural maneuvers to spur any legislative action, there's no reason to believe this reauthorization won't sail as smoothly through the upper chamber before authority expires Wednesday night.
One more time: House T&I Chairman Bill Shuster and ranking Democrat Peter DeFazio say this latest short-term extension will be the last before Congress finally passes a lengthier authorization coupled with an overhaul of the agency's structure. "We're very close to putting something together that, as I said, will transform the air traffic control system," Shuster said on the House floor before passage of the reauthorization. "I think as we get through September and into October, we're going to be able to see the bill that we put forth is going to have, I believe, bipartisan support, not only from within Congress but around the country, around Washington D.C."
Protection from Congress: DeFazio says that while there are still disagreements about the future of the nation's air traffic control system, he and Shuster "share common objectives." In contrast to the chairman's dream of creating a nonprofit to run ATC operations, DeFazio is proposing a government corporation to house all of the agency's efforts. "My preference would be to insulate the entire FAA from the vicissitudes of Congress going off the rails with a shutdown and furloughs and provisions that are unacceptable to the Senate that cause a temporary lapse in authorization," DeFazio said on the floor. "And we can get there. We're very close now."
TRADE OFFICIALS AIM TO SEAL DEAL ON AUTO RULES: Pro Trade's Doug Palmer is already reporting from Atlanta as top trade officials from all 12 Trans-Pacific Partnership countries begin to make their way to the Georgian capital, where they hope to finally wrap up the whole deal this week. Doug explains that trade negotiators from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Japan just picked back up with their talks yesterday on the auto rule-of-origin rules that have held up the final compromise and that they are likely to bring with them a final decision on the auto agreement when they arrive.
Mexican perspective: Former Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Arturo Sarukhan and former Mexican Undersecretary for Trade Luis de la Calle are optimistic about the difficult TPP auto talks and have suggestions for striking some balance on the issue. In an op-ed for Pro Trade, the two former officials say the rules, which will determine how much of a vehicle's parts must be made in member countries to qualify for tariff cuts, are "almost certain" to be lower than the NAFTA threshold. But they argue that the effect could be mitigated if, for example, the rule were made stricter as additional countries join the deal.
DOT EXPLAINS ITS GO-BETWEEN INVESTMENT CENTER: Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx plans to divulge new details to reporters this morning about the department's new Build America Transportation Investment Center, stood up to help both government and private investors better leverage DOT expertise and funding. A cheeky new promo video about the center explains that "the patchwork process of getting major infrastructure investments off the ground is a cumbersome, expensive and time-consuming experience," and that the center "changes all that by streamlining the process from start to finish. Think of it like a trusted adviser for communities and sponsors looking to solve the challenges associated with infrastructure development today."
DRONE ADVOCATES WARN LAWMAKERS AGAINST 'QUICK DECISIONS': The Consumer Electronics Association and the Small UAV Coalition continue their Capitol Hill briefings today on the House side, talking up the benefits of the devices. Pro Tech's Kate Tummarello reports that GoPro's Jeff Brown says companies are hoping to keep Washington from taking up legislation or regulation like a recently passed - but later vetoed - California bill that would have required drones to fly high above private property due to privacy concerns. The California bill is "a demonstration of what can happen when policymakers are forced by public opinion to make quick decisions on this stuff," Brown said. "In an environment where it would be very, very easy to react and make clumsy policy, it seems like there's a lot of good thinking going on in Washington."
FLIGHT-SHARING STARTUP TRIES FOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION: Just in case the federal appeals court doesn't rule in its favor, the founders of Flytenow are working the legislative angle in their fight to operate an Uber-like, flight-sharing service without fear of FAA reprisal. Rep. David Schweikert just introduced a bill that would make the FAA issue or rewrite its regulations to ensure that private pilots can post flight plans online in hopes of finding someone to share in the costs. The measure would allow general aviators to publicize planned flights "in any manner the person determines appropriate" - a response to the FAA's position that using a website like Flytenow to locate potential passengers amounts to a commercial enterprise requiring stricter certifications. "It is the future," Schweikert told our Lauren Gardner of the "sharing economy." "I think the regulatory state is going to have to understand what's happening around them" and tailor their rules accordingly.
Hitting the hill: Representatives from Flytenow met with Schweikert last week when they were in town for a court hearing. "The congressman has a keen understanding of innovation, asset allocation and markets," Flytenow cofounder Alan Guichard told us. "He's also keenly aware that incumbents/government are not keeping pace with innovation."
LAWMAKERS VOICE VOLKSWAGEN PUNISHMENT DEMANDS: It has only been a few days since the Justice Department announced it is beginning an investigation into Volkswagen's admittance to using defeat devices, and lawmakers are already stipulating how they want that probe to play out. In a letter this week to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Amy Klobuchar say "officials at Volkswagen should be granted no get out of jail free card, and the Department should accept no plea agreement with Volkswagen that does not ensure any and all information regarding criminal acts by high level officials is provided to the Department."
The letter comes amid a new VW confession that 2.1 million of the vehicles in its luxury Audi fleet were fitted with defeat devices, including 13,000 in the U.S. As lawsuits against Volkswagen pile up, lawyers are moving to consolidate the litigation, The Wall Street Journal reports. And Dutch Volkswagen dealers are halting sales of diesel cars that might be affected, according to the Associated Press.
WITH LITTLE TIN HORNS AND LITTLE TOY DRONES: Closing in on Christmas, the FAA is in contact with Wal-Mart as the mega-retailer prepares to sell several different types of drones this holiday season. The agency has given Wal-Mart an update on the status of its rule for small drones and has passed on information the company can hand down to its store managers and sales associates. "The talking point is that there'll be a million drones under Christmas trees," Rich Swayze, an assistant administrator for the FAA, said at an Airlines for America event on Monday. "They're becoming cheaper and more prevalent."
MOVING ON UP: AASHTO's board of directors has elected Iowa DOT Director Paul Trombino as the association's president and Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt as vice president. Trombino plans to focus on pushing for congressional action on transportation funding legislation, as well as implementing the association's strategic plan. Before joining Iowa DOT, Trombino worked at the Wisconsin DOT for 17 years, where he was operations director of the highway division and director of transit, roads, rail and harbors. Bernhardt has been with Maine's DOT for more than three decades.
THE AUTOBAHN (SPEED READ):
- Takata airbag recalls could expand to seven more companies. The Wall Street Journal.
- Metro riders caught in slowdown look for options. The Washington Post.
- Tangled web surrounds United's aborted Atlantic City routes. The Associated Press.
- Musk to hand over first Model X SUVs. Bloomberg Business.
- Nation's rail service is threatened as deadline for safety system looms. The New York Times.
- Officials say half of Oregon's bridges would collapse in major quake. Reuters.
THE COUNTDOWN: Highway and transit policy expires in 31 days. DOT appropriations run out and the FAA reauthorization expires in 2 days. The 2016 presidential election is in 405 days.
THE DAY AHEAD:
8:30 a.m. - The National Defense Transportation Association and U.S. Transportation Commandhold their annual fall meeting. Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St., National Harbor, Md.
9 a.m. - The Inter-American Development Bank hosts a talk about ideas for improving lives in cities, with a speech by the chairman and CEO of SkyTran on the future of urban mobility. 1300 New York Ave. N.W.
11 a.m. - The Consumer Electronics Association and the Small UAV Coalition host another drone briefing, this time for those on the House side of the Capitol. 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
11 a.m. - The House Homeland Security Committee holds a press conference on terrorist and foreign fighter travel reports. House Recording Studios, Studio A.
11:15 a.m. - TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger and the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general testify before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security on the TSA's efforts to address inspector general findings. 138 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
2:30 p.m. - The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security holds a hearing on pipeline safety, with testimony from NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart. 253 Senate Russell Office Building.
Did we miss an event? Let MT know at transpocalendar@politicopro.com.
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Stories from POLITICO Pro
Senate easily advances bill to avoid shutdown Back
By Seung Min Kim | 09/29/2015 05:41AM EDT
Congress is one step closer to dodging a government shutdown.
On a 77-19 vote Monday night, the Senate advanced a short-term spending bill that will keep federal government agencies operating through Dec. 11, defusing the latest shutdown scare powered by conservative rage against funding for Planned Parenthood - for now.
The suspense over whether the GOP-led Congress would keep the government open beyond Sept. 30 ended altogether when Speaker John Boehner announced his resignation plans last week. The stunning move ensures that the Ohio Republican would be free to rely on Democrats to pass a clean funding bill without political retribution from his conservative agitators.
Once the spending measure passes the Senate - likely sometime Tuesday - the House will quickly take up the bill and send it to President Barack Obama, just in time to avoid a government shutdown. But the stopgap bill sets up an even bigger spending fight on Capitol Hill in December, when Democrats and Republicans will battle over a broader budget deal.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted from the outset that the government will not shut down on his watch, despite pressure from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and other hardline conservatives to use the must-pass bill to defund the women's health group, even at the risk of a shutdown.
But once McConnell put up a spending bill stripping money from Planned Parenthood last week, it didn't even get a majority of the votes - allowing the Kentucky Republican to argue that a clean funding bill was the only way out.
"It doesn't represent my first, second, third or 23rd choice when it comes to funding the government," McConnell said Monday of the clean stopgap spending bill. "But it will keep the government open through the fall and funded at the bipartisan level already agreed to by both parties as we work on the way forward."
Democrats again accused Republicans of brinksmanship for even flirting with a shutdown deadline.
"I would be remiss if I didn't remind everyone that this last-minute scramble to do our most basic job is as unnecessary as it reckless," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Monday. "We're two days away from a shutdown ... and why? Because Republicans made it their No. 1 priority to undermine women's health."