One of those recommendations--a so-called "green card" that would fund sustainable capital and operating projects at the MTA through voluntary, tax-deductible contributions--has already been played up by the news media. "If we as a nation are to begin working seriously to prevent global warming, we need to radically rethink the way we fund mass transit," says Jonathan F.P. Rose, chairman of the commission, in a release.

Founder of sustainable development firm Jonathan Rose Cos., Rose says the national discussion about public transit "needs to acknowledge, and put a value on, the enormous carbon avoidance that transit creates while providing mobility to keep our economy competitive. Funding levels for transit need to be commensurate with an enterprise that accomplishes both of these critical goals."

The commission recommends a number of energy-efficiency initiatives for MTA, such as joining a consortium of public entities to pursue offshore wind farms. It also recommends energy retrofits and smart fleet technologies as part of a program to reduce MTA's operational energy use by 25% in the next decade.