Revolutionizing our transportation systems is a crucial piece of Sierra Club's work to ensure we all can live in healthy communities, move around safely, and build a future powered by renewable energy.
Cleaning up our transportation sector means giving everyone the opportunity to get around in the way that works best for them and the planet. Together, we can tackle the climate crisis and protect the air we breathe by shifting to pollution-free electric vehicles, increasing accessible and affordable public transit, and making our communities safer for walking and biking.
Over the lifetime of the vehicle, a gas car puts out 4.5x more carbon pollution and infinitely more toxic tailpipe air pollution than an electric car.
We all want to breathe clean air and protect our families from toxic pollution and climate change. Unfortunately, transportation is currently our nation's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and a major source of air pollution. To build a livable future, we must shift away from combustion vehicles and towards clean transportation.
Right now, Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress want to make it harder to drive clean cars, which will increase how much money you spend at the pump. We can stop them, but we need your help to protect clean transportation options.
$5B
61,000
public EV charging stations in the US
The Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign is at the forefront of advocating for EV-related utility policies that accelerate the EV transition and deliver on the promises of the clean energy economy: lower overall energy bills, more jobs, and cleaner air and water. Read more.
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act -- the largest clean energy and climate legislation in history -- and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, cities and towns across the United States are getting funding to invest in clean transportation, including building more electric vehicle charging stations, transitioning public transit buses and school buses to zero-emission, and more.
As of now, the tax credits funded by the Inflation Reduction Act are still in effect, despite the best efforts of anti-environment politicians. These federal incentives can be used to purchase new or used electric vehicles, and can be combined with state, local, and utility provider incentives. These opportunities differ depending on where you live, so be sure to visit electricforall.org/rebates-incentives to learn exactly what’s available in your area.
Sierra Club North Star chapter with partners at a Minnesota House Hearing pushing for transit equity.
The Sierra Club is working across the country to make clean transportation options a reality. We're advocating for policies like clean car standards that have been passed in 13 states plus Washington, DC to cut pollution from our communities. And we're holding automakers accountable for offering more and affordable electric vehicles.
Going electric is just the start. In the shift to EVs, we should not replicate harmful practices in the mining industry. We're pushing automakers to respect human rights and radically transform their supply chains to be equitable, sustainable, and 100% fossil free.
We're also reducing our car dependence by advocating for reliable public transit, safe infrastructure for walking and biking, and more housing near where people work, learn, and play. This means urging local transit fleets to shift to electric buses. Cities like New York City, Washington, DC, and Albuquerque and many others are already leading the way!
Together, we can re-envision how we move around in a way that works for people and the planet.
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Take ActionWASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Sierra Club and Earthjustice, together with a broad coalition of health and environmental groups, filed lawsuits against former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), for their rollback of the clea
Reckless Rollback of Clean Car Standards Hurts Consumers and Climate WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as Americans face the growing COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump Administration has undermined our health and safety further by finalizing its rollback of the clean car standards, formally known as the corporate average fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for light duty vehicles (or CAFE). The standards are the nation’s most influential and ambitious rules to tackle climate change, clean up air pollution and save consumers money at the pump.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Late yesterday, the EPA released its annual automotive trends report, which found that only three out of 14 major automakers - Honda, Subaru and Mazda - met the clean car standards from 2013 to 2018 without relying on compliance loopholes.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Politico reported that EPA’s Science Advisory Board issued its final report criticizing the agency’s rollback of the clean car standards for using “faulty science” and that the current standards “might provide a better outcome for society than the proposed revision.” The proposed final rule to roll back Obama-era clean car standards has been under review by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget since January.
NORTHEAST & MID-ATLANTIC - The message from residents of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to lawmakers couldn’t be more clear: the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) is a winner, and they want to see it happen.
LANSING, MI– Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced an executive directive to create the Michigan Office of Future Mobility (which will be housed within the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity) and an executive order creating the Michigan Council for Future Mobility and Electrification. The Council for Future Mobility, led by a chief mobility officer who has yet to be nominated, will make recommendations on policy and will be focused around but not limited to:
Washington, DC -- Yesterday, the Sierra Club signed onto a statement of support alongside the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Edison Electric Institute (electric utilities' trade group), and two consumer groups, NCLC and Illinois CUB, that establishes momentous common ground among environmental and consumer advocates and utilities.
Washington, D.C. -- Today, representatives Andy Levin and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Electric Vehicle Freedom Act, a transformative proposal to create a comprehensive national network of high-speed EV chargers along our nation’s public highway system within five years. The EV Freedom Act would create automotive and infrastructure jobs while taking a major and necessary step toward reducing emissions and addressing climate change.
Oakland, CA -- Today, in honor of Rosa Parks’ legacy and in support of access to public transit as a civil right and strategy to combat climate change, community, labor, and environmental organizations in cities across the nation are taking action for transit equity. The national day of action is intended to uplift local work happening across the country.
WASHINGTON - Five major environmental and science groups today released advertisements in papers across the country calling on General Motors, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, Nissan, Subaru, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia, and Mitsubishi to drop their attack on the Clean Air Act and stand up for strong clean car standards that help reduce pollution and secure a stable climate.
