March 10, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire, recently disparaged Amtrak and suggested the federal government moves towards privatization of the rail service.In 2024, Amtrak reported record revenue and ridership.
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.
Press Releases
New Challenge on Trump Administration’s Attempt to “Terminate” New York’s Congestion Pricing Program
March 4, 2025
NEW YORK CITY— Today, Riders Alliance and Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice, filed a new legal complaint against the Trump Administration’s Department of Transportation (DOT) for attempting to end New York City’s long-awaited Congestion Pricing program, less than two months after the program’s successful launch. The legal complaint charges that the Trump administration made serious legal mistakes in its rush to deprive New Yorkers of the benefits of Congestion Pricing, and that these mistakes suggest that the administration is acting pretextually.
February 19, 2025
NEW YORK CITY - Today, media reports show that Donald Trump is attempting to kill New York City’s recently implemented congestion pricing program, which went into effect on January 5 for the Central Business District of Manhattan.
February 11, 2025
USA – Lead the Charge unveiled its third annual Auto Supply Chain Leaderboard on Tuesday, ranking 18 global automakers based on their efforts to build equitable, sustainable, and fossil-free supply chains as they transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
February 7, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the Federal Highway Administration issued a letter to state Departments of Transportation purporting to cancel states’ already-approved plans to build out America’s EV charging network through the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program and claiming to kill NEVI’s implementing policies.
February 4, 2025
NATIONWIDE - Today, in honor of Rosa Parks’ birthday, labor unions, racial justice groups, environmental organizations, transit groups, and disability advocates are joining together to elevate public transit as a civil right and essential to healthy communities.
January 30, 2025
NEW YORK CITY - Today, the New York Times reported that Donald Trump could attempt to halt New York City’s recently implemented congestion pricing program, which went into effect on January 5 for the Central Business District of Manhattan.
January 29, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As one of his first acts after being confirmed by the Senate as Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy signed a memo to direct a reconsideration and indicate his support for a rollback of national fuel economy standards that make vehicles– including cars, light-duty trucks, and heavy-duty trucks– more fuel efficient.
January 24, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Several of the nation’s leading environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club, represented by Sierra Club and Earthjustice, just moved to intervene to defend the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) waiver.
January 20, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. - As part of a series of executive orders seeking to "unleash American energy,” Donald Trump today indicated that he will roll back key federal vehicle emission standards for cars and trucks. The executive order reverses action by the Biden Administration to maintain U.S. leadership on clean cars and trucks, including revoking the goal that 50 percent of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles.