Bill > HF748

This bill modifies Minnesota's transportation policy and project assessment criteria, with a primary focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining safety as the top priority. The legislation introduces a new framework for evaluating transportation projects that involves assessing their potential greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled impacts. Specifically, before including a major highway project (defined as costing at least $30,000,000) in transportation improvement programs, state and metropolitan planning organizations must perform an impact assessment to determine if the project is consistent with greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. If a project does not meet these targets, entities must either modify the project, implement mitigation strategies, or halt its development. The bill provides a comprehensive list of potential mitigation actions, including transit expansion, active transportation infrastructure, transportation demand management, and electric vehicle infrastructure. The legislation explicitly states that safety and economic well-being remain the primary goals, with greenhouse gas reduction being a secondary consideration. The bill establishes an implementation timeline, with full assessment requirements becoming effective by August 1, 2030, and creates a new Transportation Impact Assessment and Mitigation Account to support these efforts. Importantly, the bill allows for project exemptions in urgent traffic safety situations, ensuring that critical safety improvements are not impeded by emissions reduction requirements.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0748&ssn=0&y=2025