INFLATION REDUCTION ACT FAILS TO SUPPORT BICYCLES

“The new climate bill abandoned the type of electric vehicle that can make the biggest difference” is the headline of an August 7 article in Electrek by Micah Toll. If you have been following the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act by Congress, and its being signed into law by President Biden, you are also aware that to get the compromise required to get the bill through the Senate the majority leader had to, as Toll put it, “abandoned on the side of the road a critically important class of electric vehicle: electric bicycles.”

We submit that all types and forms of bicycles were “abandoned” and the August 7 article quotes Noa Banayan from PeopleForBikes explaining, “The climate- and energy-focused Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 misses a massive opportunity by neglecting to invest in an electric bicycle tax credit and other critical initiatives to promote biking for transportation. This omission leaves us sorely disappointed in the future of climate policy given the significant transportation investments in the bill are squarely focused on electric vehicles. While PeopleForBikes remains supportive of urgently needed climate action and broader policy solutions, we’re sorely disappointed that Democratic leadership axed most consideration of bicycles and active transportation in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.”

While the administration and the Department of Transportation are trying to figure out how they are going to get incentives in some form past the legislative branch to support sales and use of electric bicycle cities and states are stepping up with tax incentives and purchase rebates applicable to all types of bicycles, including electric bicycles.

The bicycle business has a significant opportunity in mobilizing a nationwide grass roots campaign to support all forms of tax incentives and rebates for all forms of human powered transportation as affordable, environmentally friendly transportation that will reduce traffic congestion and improve health and fitness!

Human Powered Solutions urges you to join the bicycle business and your local communities in advocating for any-and-all incentives for the purchase and use of all forms of bicycles.

Contact Jay Townley: jay@humanpoweredsolutions.com.