Introduction

In book two of the conference report for Public Law 111-8, the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Congress directed the Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) "to provide a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of the enactment of this Act [March 11 June 11] detailing the challenges of installing hydrogen infrastructure. This report should include a comprehensive plan to increase the number of hydrogen fueling stations around the country, focusing on the regions with greatest demand and need. The agency is instructed to coordinate with the Department of Energy to complete this report."

This report is a synthesis of already published work, as well as an identification of the policy decisions and commitments needed to make hydrogen fuels an integral part of how this nation moves its citizens and commercial goods. It is organized to: 1) set the context of why hydrogen is important to transportation's transition from fossil fuels and to the nation's climate change mitigation efforts, 2) explore the major challenge areas this transition presents, 3) discuss the Federal progress made to date, 4) highlight the studies that underpin today's strategic thinking on the topic, and 5) identify key areas for future action.