Report: Florida rejects funds to cut tailpipe emissions

• The Florida Department of Transportation tells the Tampa Bay Times it plans to build roads and bridges, not reduce carbon emissions, arguing that it wouldn't support the "continued politicization of our roadways."

Why it matters: Environmental experts and some lawmakers say the refusal could have weighty consequences on a state with vulnerable ecosystems and a less-than-ideal transportation system.

• Texas — which often rivals Florida's conservative bent and vulnerability to the effects of climate change — accepted the money. It plans to tackle congestion management, public transportation, and truck parking.

Context: Average commute times have ballooned in Florida by 11% over the last decade, according to the transportation department. Nearly half of the state's congestion and traffic volume issues come from roadway capacity.

• The longer Floridians spend in traffic, the more fossil fuels they burn.

Worthy of your time: Florida the only state to turn down millions to lessen emissions, feds say