Clean Transportation

Clean Transportation

Clean Transportation

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.



What is clean transportation?

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 fossil fuel-powered vehicles and towards clean, renewable 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 access to public transportation, electric vehicles, and other clean transportation options.

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.

Why is clean transportation essential?

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.

Victory!

In a landmark legal win for clean transportation, a federal court has permanently barred the Trump administration from freezing funds for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program – that is, a $5 billion federal initiative to build reliable, high-speed electric vehicle charging stations along America's highways!

The ruling means all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico now have the legal certainty they need to move forward building a nationwide charging network, free from unlawful interference. Sierra Club and partners brought this case on behalf of members who were directly harmed by the freeze.

This is what people power looks like: Sierra Club members standing up to protect clean transportation investment, cleaner air, and better access to affordable electric vehicle driving for everyone.

April 26, 2021

NATIONWIDE -  Today, the Transit Equity Network, which brings together transit unions, riders advocacy groups, civil rights groups and climate justice and environmental organizations in communities across the nation, released the “Community Hearing on Transit Equity 2021: Findings and Recommendations,” documenting the stories of dozens of transit riders and workers who offered testimony during a two-day virtual hearing which took place on Feb. 3 and Feb.

April 21, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, a dozen governors sent a letter urging the Biden administration to reduce pollution from the transportation sector, the nation’s top polluting sector, by setting a goal for all new cars sold in the nation to be zero-emission by 2035, including milestones along the way to reach the target. 

April 19, 2021

San Diego, CA - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) just approved a $44 million electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure program from San Diego Gas & Electric. 

April 5, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Sierra Club launched a digital ad campaign, urging the Biden administration to establish new, bolder vehicle standards — beyond the Obama-Biden standards — and to not give into vehicle manufacturers lobbying behind closed doors to keep us tied to weaker ones. The ads are running in Politico and The Hill, as well as on LinkedIn, throughout the month of April, leading up to the US Climate Summit on April 22.

March 24, 2021

Washington, D.C. – Seventeen business, equity, science, clean energy, faith and environmental groups are publicly calling on the Biden administration to set multi-pollutant climate and clean air standards that will eliminate dangerous particle, nitrogen oxides and climate pollution from new freight trucks and buses – and to adopt these standards in the next 18 months.

March 17, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, a Toyota representative testified before Congress that the automaker was skeptical of battery electric vehicles and touted its commitment to hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the latest in a long string of actions the automaker has taken to spread misinformation and slow down the transition to electric vehicles in the United States.

March 3, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, FedEx announced that its delivery fleet will be made up of 100 percent electric vehicles by 2040, which will include benchmarks along the way, such as 50 percent EV purchases by 2025.

February 24, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, under the leadership of Donald Trump’s appointee, the United States Postal Service announced a 10-year, $485-million contract to Oshkosh Defense for new mail trucks, only committing to buy 10 percent as electric vehicles and failing to commit to 100 percent electrification of the fleet.

February 19, 2021

Richmond, VA - Today, the Virginia State Senate passed HB 1965, which directs the State Air Pollution Control Board to implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. With this rule, Virginia joins 14 other states and the District of Columbia in adopting clean car standards. This bill will go to Governor Northam’s desk to sign and enact into law.

February 3, 2021

NATIONAL - Today, in honor of Rosa Parks’ birthday, labor unions, racial justice groups, environmental organizations and transit groups, and disability advocates are joining together to elevate public transit as a civil right and essential to healthy communities.