Jul 30, 2019   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Transportation News: Coalition of 59 Groups Voices Support for 12 Governors and Mayor of Washington, D.C. Developing Regional Transportation & Climate Initiative Policy

Members of Our Transportation Future joined 300 state lawmakers, business leaders, transportation experts, and public figures in Baltimore, Maryland, today at a regional public workshop on developing low-carbon investment strategies and priorities for the Transportation & Climate Initiative, a regional partnership for clean transportation in Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states. The OTF groups participating in today’s workshop announced a sign-on letter to the Governors of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia, and the mayor of Washington, D.C.

An excerpt of the OTF letter said: “We commend your leadership on TCI and support your efforts to develop a regional agreement to reduce transportation emissions. Transportation is the largest source of climate-changing pollution in the U.S., and a significant cause of unhealthy air that increases asthma attacks, cardiovascular problems, and respiratory illnesses. Driving represents over eighty percent of emissions from transportation and those emissions are growing despite cleaner fuels and more efficient vehicles because people are forced to make more frequent and longer trips. In addition to continuing to improve vehicle efficiency and increase electrification, we also need to make it easier for people to drive less by increasing clean, reliable and safe public transportation, and encouraging walking and biking. We believe an equitable and environmentally robust policy, designed through TCI, will be an important component of our shared vision.

“Our priorities for a regional policy include an agreement that the participating states will:

  • Promote more equitable outcomes, particularly for populations and communities that have been disproportionately impacted by air pollution and those with inadequate access to transportation and mobility.
  • Reduce vehicle pollution that contributes to unhealthy air quality and climate change;
  • Leverage transportation networks to create new economic opportunity for people, businesses, and communities;
  • Establish new -- and enhance existing -- sources of funding to accelerate investments in bikeways, pedestrian walkways, electric vehicle infrastructure, and improved public transit, including intercity rail; and
  • Foster policies that support sustainable, affordable, transit-oriented development and other land use decisions that reduce vehicle miles traveled.”

The full OTF sign-on letter is available at: https://www.ourtransportationfuture.org/7_29_letter.

The following members of the Our Transportation Future coalition have signed on to this letter: 350 Mass for a Better Future, A Better City, Acadia Center, Appalachian Mountain Club, Center for Sustainable Energy, Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, Ceres, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Clean Air Council, Clean Water Action, Climate Law & Policy Project, Climate XChange, Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound, Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, ConnPIRG, Conservation Law Foundation, E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), Energize Maryland, Environment America, Environment Connecticut, Environment Maine, Environment Maryland, Environment Massachusetts, Environment New Hampshire, Environment New Jersey, Environment New York, Environment Rhode Island, Environment Virginia, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Green Energy Consumers Alliance, Green For All, Health Care Without Harm, Maine Conservation Voters, Maryland PIRG, MassINC Gateway Cities Innovation Institute, Massachusetts Climate Action Network, Massachusetts Public Health Association, MassPIRG, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), Natural Resources Council of Maine, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy, New Jersey Sustainable Business Council, New York League of Conservation Voters, NJ PIRG, Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC), PennEnvironment, Philadelphia Solar Energy Association, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Rail Passengers Association, Sierra Club, Transport Hartford Academy at the Center for Latino Progress, Transportation for America, Transportation for Massachusetts, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Union of Concerned Scientists, U.S. PIRG, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), and Vermont Natural Resources Council.

ABOUT OTF

Our Transportation Future (OTF) is a coalition of more than 50 local, state, regional, and national environmental, health, scientific, transportation, and business organizations committed to modernizing transportation across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region. We advocate for a 21st-century regional transportation system that is cleaner; offers more varied, accessible, equitable, and affordable transportation options; reduces climate change pollution and pollution that harms human health; and serves the needs of everyone. OTF members are working to educate and engage a broad cross-section of stakeholders on the importance of adopting public policies that achieve these critical transportation goals, including taking an active role in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states’ discussions in the Transportation & Climate Initiative’s (TCI) regional policy development.