NATIONAL - Tomorrow, 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 decarbonizing the US transportation system.
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration proposed a rule that will require state Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations to establish performance measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their transportation plans and programs.
LANSING, MI - Today, the Sierra Club released a report of independent modeling and analysis of decarbonization pathways for Michigan’s transportation sector. The report calls on Michigan to ensure 100 percent electric vehicle sales and reduce driving overall by 2035 in order for the state to reach its climate goals and protect communities from toxic air pollution from vehicles.
For the fifth year, grassroots transit rider groups, environmental, climate justice, civil rights, disability, and faith organizations, and transit workers unions, will organize actions across the country to recognize transit equity as a civil right.
WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen coordination between their two agencies in order to increase access to national parks and improve options to get there in a pollution-free ride, including the electrification of public transit fleets, electric vehicle charging stations, and shared bikes and scooters.
BOSTON, MA - Yesterday, Governor Baker appointed the seven-member Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Board of Directors, with Betsy Taylor as the new chair.
This new, permanent Board of Directors will oversee the MBTA’s finances, operations, governance, and overall management. It replaces the temporary Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) established by the Baker administration following the harsh winter of 2015 that disrupted transit service.
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.
WASHINGTON, DC - Early Wednesday morning, after a markup that lasted over 15 hours, House Democrats, led by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, moved a historic package through committee.
The package makes significant investments in cleaning up the transportation sector, a sector responsible for emitting the most climate-disrupting emissions in the nation and contributing to dangerous air quality in communities.
Highlights:
ALBANY, NY— Today, Governor Hochul's Department of Environmental Conservation initiated a rulemaking for the adoption of the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, which will deliver zero-emission trucks to New York State, helping to slash diesel emissions, improve air quality, and spur the electric truck market.
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is taking up the INVEST in America Act that would make job-creating infrastructure investments.
Representative Chuy García will introduce three green transportation amendments in line with the vision of the THRIVE Act that would do much more to reduce pollution, prioritize equity and justice, and create good, union jobs, strengthening the underlying bill.
NEW YORK STATE - On Thursday, May 6 from 6 pm to 7 pm ET, elected officials will join community leaders and transit and environmental advocates to kick off Asthma Awareness Month with a webinar about advancing New York State’s transition to 100 percent electric buses.
What: A virtual event highlighting the environmental and public health benefits of zero-emission electric buses in New York
When: Thursday, May 6, 2021, 6 pm to 7 pm ET
Where: Register here
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.