Update on Zombie Son of SRC Silent on Climate

It was disappointing to see a total silence on climate and emissions in yesterday's front page piece on the Zombie "Son of SRC."

Front page story with insets from Washington Post
and an earlier OPB story published in the SJ

Maybe they'll come back for a more detailed analysis, but it reads more like a story placed by one of the bill's sponsors, an instance of PR rather than something more sober and incisive. Sure there's a little he-said, she-said balancing with critics, but the main framing seems hopeful, "Maybe it's back!"

But there are so many additional lines for context. 

On ODOT's great priority, a replacement bridge on I-5 over the Columbia, ODOT is running into strong headwinds on funding alone. ODOT is running out of money and may not be very interested in funding a new bridge here.

See:

• At the Oregonian, "ODOT looks to DMV fees to plug deficit; bigger budget problems loom"
• At BikePortland, "Funding picture for ODOT’s Rose Quarter freeway expansion looks bleak"
  

Even apart from the problem of funding, our climate goals call for less driving, not merely the fuel conversion to EVs and maintaining the same amount of driving (or more). 

via Twitter

Some transit advocates have argued that conventional fossil fuel buses, supported by the right road configurations and land use, are still very useful.

Others have looked at the metals use in batteries and suggested that merely replacing our cars with large EVs creates real problems.

via Twitter

And others remind us that EV mania alone is not sufficient.

via Twitter

We can't just retain our current paradigm of personal automobiles and driving.

There is much more to say, of course, and if the bill actually moves along, we'll come back also.