Contact:
John Neurohr
[email protected], 717-364-6452
Pittsburgh, PA — Thursday, July 29, 2021, Pennsylvania State Representative Austin Davis, Pittsburgh City Councilperson Erika Strassburger, and Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Pittsburgh), along with environmental and transportation advocates, urged the state’s elected leaders in Washington to support federal investments in clean transportation infrastructure.
The press conference was hosted by Moms Clean Air Force Pennsylvania as part of a series of grassroots events coordinated by the Climate Action Campaign.
As the Biden administration and Congress consider broad infrastructure proposals and investments in clean transportation, speakers urged Pennsylvania’s leaders in Congress to support clean energy growth and the expansion of the market for clean vehicles and buses in order to improve public health and create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.
“Creating a cleaner transportation system is key to the future of our region,” said Congressman Doyle. “I am proud of how proactive The Port Authority and the City of Pittsburgh have been when it comes to reducing pollution and building a sustainable and equitable transportation system. I am committed to helping them build on recent successes and invest more in electric buses and expanded transit options like the BRT. I am excited to see how our region can continue to build a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system for the future.”
Transportation accounts for the largest source of climate-harming carbon pollution in the US. Modernizing the transportation sector and investing in clean school and transit buses are critical to combating climate change, which makes extreme weather events like heat waves, droughts, and wildfires more frequent and intense.
“With the transportation sector now the largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S., supporting investments in clean transportation infrastructure is one of the best ways Congress can help fight climate change,” said Vanessa Lynch, Pennsylvania Field Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force. “I urge representatives, like my own Representative Conor Lamb, to continue to lead in their support of an infrastructure plan that addresses the climate crisis. The infrastructure plan must be aimed at encouraging clean energy growth and the electrification of vehicles in order to equitably improve public health and create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvania families.”
Investments in clean transportation and electric buses and vehicles are essential to meeting our nation’s climate goals, reducing air pollution, improving public health, achieving environmental justice, and spurring the economy. The Port Authority of Allegheny County has already begun incorporating electric transit buses to its fleet.
“Our agency, The Port Authority, just announced their long-range plan which calls for a fully zero-pollution fleet of vehicles and buses by 2045,” said State Representative Austin Davis. “We know poorer communities often rely much heavier on public transit and often tend to have the most negative impacts from environmental issues. The area that I represent is an environmental justice area. And we know by taking cars off of the street and getting more people on transit we’ll create a better economy and cleaner buses will absolutely go a long way in improving our air quality in our region.”
Recent polling found that these investments are popular in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. Overwhelmingly, voters in the 17th Congressional District support investments to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize public transportation to ensure it is cleaner and able to serve more people. Specifically, 58% of voters in the district support investments in electric vehicles and charging stations to reduce pollution and help more Americans buy clean cars.
“I’m proud to represent Pittsburgh, a leader on clean, electric vehicle development,” said Councilperson Erika Strassburger. “However, there’s room for improvement: we need bold action from Congress to invest in clean energy, including electric vehicle technologies, to improve our air quality, cut climate pollution, protect public health, and create good jobs.”
For a video of the press conference, click here: https://youtu.be/qVMbvNX8s74