Larisa Manescu, Sierra Club, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
Alexis Raitt, TransitMatters, media@transitmatters.org
BOSTON, MA - Today, Streetsblog Massachusetts released a story on a newly launched report from the Sierra Club, TransitMatters, and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy- supported by 14 partner organizations- calling on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the eighth largest transit agency in the nation, to commit to 100 percent electrification of its transit bus fleet by 2030.
The report urges MBTA to take immediate steps towards achieving that goal in a manner that guarantees that transit electrification will benefit the Boston area communities most impacted by vehicle pollution.
The report also makes the environmental and economic case for the MBTA moving more quickly to electrify its fleet and lays out the various types of bus electrification technologies and ideas for phasing that the agency should pursue.
The new report shows that electrifying MBTA’s buses by 2030 would:
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Save the agency $175 million on lifetime fleet operating costs;
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Reduce the bus fleet’s greenhouse gas emission by 97 percent;
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Save residents $9 million in avoided healthcare costs by reducing the impacts of toxic air pollution that fossil fuel powered buses have on the area’s most vulnerable residents.
“As we continue to address challenges of climate change and COVID-19, public transit is a critical piece of the puzzle. This report confirms that electrification of MBTA fleets improves public health by decreasing exposure to disease-causing particulate matter, saves money and provides a solution for cleaner energy and transportation,” said Representative Christine Barber. “I filed H.3559 An Act relative to public transit electrification with Representative Owens, to create an opportunity for a cleaner public transportation system, decrease our carbon emissions and clean air in communities hardest hit by climate change and COVID. Decreasing exposure to carbon-emitting emissions is of particular concern for my district, as Somerville contains multiple environmental justice communities living near I-93 and McGrath Highway/Mystic Avenue.”
"I am proud to be the lead sponsor of H.3559, An Act relative to public transit electrification, which would mandate a clear timeline to full MBTA electrification. We have a once in a generation opportunity to reinvest in our public transit infrastructure in a way that reduces greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and limits particulate matter released on our streets and in our lungs," said Representative Steve Owens. "As we all know, transit infrastructure can take a long time to build and deploy. It's imperative that we start right away with an aggressive timeline. My constituents know first-hand the benefits of electrified public transit and are eager to share them with the rest of the MBTA network. The trackless trolleys serving Watertown and West Cambridge are quieter, cleaner and better for public health than any diesel burning vehicles."
“Now more than ever, environmental justice communities are shouldering the worst of the negative effects of diesel emissions from public transportation. As highlighted in this report, fully electrifying the MBTA bus fleet by 2030 would not only save the MBTA hundreds of millions of dollars in fees and maintenance costs, but would drastically improve public health by reducing harmful emissions,” said Senator Brendan P. Crighton. “This report lays out a clear vision for advancing our sustainability goals through an environmental justice lens by prioritizing electrification in communities of color and low-and-moderate-income neighborhoods. I am grateful to the Sierra Club, TransitMatters, and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy for their work on this invaluable report and look forward to partnering with them to make this vision a reality.”
“The MBTA must stop the purchase of polluting diesel hybrid buses and commit to 100 percent electrification by 2030,” said Veena Dharmaraj, director of transportation at Sierra Club Massachusetts. “This report clearly highlights the unequal burden of pollution on the health and safety of environmental justice populations, and it's shocking that one of the nation’s largest transit agencies has no stated commitment to full fleet electrification. Instead, the MBTA’s current plan doubles down on purchases of fossil fuel buses. We urge the MBTA to take heed of this report and prioritize deployment of electric buses on routes most impacted by air pollution. By stopping fossil fuel bus purchases, MBTA has the opportunity to chart a different vision forward that benefits both residents and the agency.”
“The time is now to act on climate change and environmental justice. It’s critical that the MBTA’s bus electrification process is driven by equity first and foremost. There are important steps the MBTA could start doing now to accelerate the timeline for electric buses,” said Jarred Johnson, executive director of TransitMatters. “I’m proud of the work our partners and TransitMatters have done to illuminate the need for quick action, the benefits of such action, and charting out a plan for how to get to our goal of a 100 percent electric fleet by 2030. Environmental justice communities can’t wait. It’s time to put those communities first and make sure the first new zero emission buses go to neighborhoods most impacted by fossil fuel emissions and that the MBTA focuses on garages that serve those communities.”
The list of organizations and groups supporting this new report include 350Mass, Alternatives for Community and Environment, Cambridge Bicycle Safety, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Green Energy Consumers Alliance, Green Newton, GreenRoots, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103, Livable Streets, Transportation for Massachusetts, Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, and Newton EV Task Force.
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About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
About TransitMatters: TransitMatters is dedicated to improving transit in and around Boston by offering new perspectives, uniting transit advocates, and informing the public. We utilize a high level of critical analysis to advocate for plans and policies that promote convenient, effective, and equitable transportation for everyone. Our vision is to attain a sustainable, equitable, and reliable public transportation system accessible to everyone in Metropolitan Boston by advancing proven best practices as well as high-impact, low-cost initiatives. For more information, visit www.transitmatters.org.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.