In light of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order on Climate today, Coalition for Clean Air Policy Director Bill Magavern released the following statement:
“On a day when young people across the world are calling for action, Governor Newsom today has moved to protect our air and atmosphere from the threat of catastrophic climate change. In addition to the signing of SB 210 (Leyva) and SB 44 (Skinner), which both will reduce emissions of toxic diesel exhaust, the Governor has directed a vital shift in how California plans and funds transportation infrastructure.
“For too long, the State’s transportation investments have been at odds with our need to reduce harmful air pollution. Today’s executive order makes a needed correction by directing the State Transportation Agency to invest its $5 billion a year to reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation accounts for roughly half of California’s planet-warming emissions, according to the Air Resources Board, and those emissions have risen recently, so today’s action is urgently needed. We thank Governor Newsom for recognizing that our transportation planning and funding should support, not undermine, our climate policies.”
