BOSTON (November 13, 2017) – Leading environmental, health, scientific and business organizations today applauded the announcement by seven states and Washington, D.C. of plans to develop a regional policy to reduce carbon pollution from the transportation sector. The move was endorsed today by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Acadia Center, Sierra Club, and Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), and five other groups.
The announcement by Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont was made during the Bonn Climate Change Summit.
Below is a statement by Ken Kimmell, president of UCS.
“The states’ announcement today is an important one, as the states have now committed to robust public input on the critical issue of providing a better, cleaner transportation system in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. All good policies start with listening to the public, and the states’ decision to do so now shows that they are serious about tackling this problem and that they are going about it the right way. It appears that one of the options for discussion is a regional cap and invest program covering transportation fuels; this option could help improve our public transportation system, provide more affordable housing near public transit, and speed the transition to electric vehicles. These investments will mean more jobs, better health, less money spent on gasoline, and more mobility choices for Northeast/mid-Atlantic residents.”