New Roads = New Pollution
Transportation in the U.S. is responsible for 30 percent of our global warming pollution and 70 percent of our oil consumption. We cannot solve the energy and climate challenge without making our transportation system far cleaner and more efficient.
President Obama and the congressional leadership are moving quickly to pass an economic stimulus package that creates green jobs with a new, clean energy infrastructure. Public transportation, smart growth and green transportation alternatives are a crucial part of this effort.
Unfortunately, the road-building lobby is attempting to hijack this bill and divert billions of dollars to the construction of new, unnecessary roads, highways and bridges that would deepen our nation’s dependence on oil and increase greenhouse gas emissions.
Updates
2/10/09: Thanks to California's Friends of the Earth activists who gave Senator Boxer a call. Your calls really made an impact. Over the week, Senator Boxer worked to improve her amendment so it would allow funds to be invested in infrastructure projects besides highways. When all was said and done, however, Senate time limitations prevented the amendment from being offered. While the Senate stimulus bill still contains $27 billion that can be used to build new roads, nearly $10 billion for clean transportation investments is also included.
Victory in the House! On Wednesday, January 28, the House of Representatives voted to increase funding for public transportation by $3 billion dollars. Thanks for all your emails and phone calls! Read our statement on this major clean transportation victory.
Listen to Colin on the Marketplace Morning Report.
Infrastructure Spending Can Be 'Green' (The Washington Post): a response to the Washington Post article from below.
See our ads! Click here to view ads that are appearing in progressive and environmental blogs.
Check out some of the media coverage our campaign has generated: Politico, The Washington Post, The Wonk Room, The LA Times, Boston Globe, Marketplace, Fox News Channel, Grist, and Bloomberg.
Click to read our response to the erroneous article in the Washington Times.
Our coalition sent a letter to Congress asking for funding for public transportation, not new roads.
Join us today!
Thousands of activists have already contacted Congress. We're aiming to mobilize 10,000. If you haven't taken action yet, please do.
Let Congress know that you want to keep the economic stimulus clean!
