Poll Shows Major Support for Mass Transit and EVs

The Sierra Club National has released poll results that show widespread support for a regional transportation modernization plan. The plan would ideally limit pollution while investing in electric vehicles, public transportation, and safer communities for walking and biking. Of the respondents across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, 73% of voters consider air pollution to be at least somewhat of a serious problem with 83% agreeing that cars and trucks contribute at least somewhat to it.

“This poll shows us that three-quarters of the people of New Jersey, and the entire region, want us to move forward quickly on regional transportation including jumpstarting electric vehicles. About 45% of our greenhouse gasses come from mobile sources. People understand the serious impacts of air pollution from the transportation sector and the need to address it. We support a regional transportation modernization plan to address air pollution from transportation similar to the way RGGI addresses greenhouse gasses from industry sources,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Since the federal government supports polluters and automobile companies, its up to the states to join together to fight air pollution and greenhouse gasses. We need a regional transportation modernization plan to help our public health, environment, and economy.”

In New Jersey, 74% of poll respondents support state action to deal with transportation pollution. This includes investing in electric vehicles, public transportation, and safer communities for walking and biking. The support shown in the poll is bi-partisan. New Jersey voters also show support for increased fuel efficiency standards, considering climate change a serious problem, and moving forward on a regional transportation modernization plan.

“One of New Jersey’s biggest source of air pollution is from cars and trucks. Each year, American passenger vehicles spew upwards of three trillion tons of carbon pollution into the air by burning about 121 billion gallons of gasoline. Our air pollution levels are dangerous for smog and ozone and we must reduce as much pollution as we can from cars and trucks in the entire region. Working with other states in a regional plan would help to reduce emissions from the entire area and improve air quality overall,” said Jeff Tittel.

States in the zero-emission vehicle program have released their ZEV Action Plan 2.0. This plan includes many of the recommended actions in the 2014 Action Plan but also builds on early success, redoubles state efforts, and establishes clear priorities for action. This multi- state ZEV action plan presents the strategies that are essential to achieve rapid ZEV market growth in five core areas. For New Jersey this means we need to reach the important goal of 330,000 EVs on the road by 2025.

“One way to reduce our transportation-based air pollution is to get moving on electric vehicles The ZEV Action Plan 2.0 is a way to get us towards our goals by 2025. Governor Murphy needs to jumpstart work on EVs if we want to reach New Jersey’s goal of 330,000 EVs on the road by 2025. We have money sitting in the Volkswagen settlement fund that we are not spending om EV technology. Murphy needs to dedicate VW settlement funds to build our EV infrastructure so that New Jersey can create a network of charging stations and guarantee the right-to charge,” said Jeff Tittel.

A regional transportation modernization plan would be similar to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). This program allows states to work together to reduce carbon output form power plants and other industries by settling goals and limiting greenhouse gas initiative. A similar plan would allow states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to work together to reduce emissions and modernize our transportation plan.

“Joining a regional transportation modernization plan would help New Jersey, and the entire Northeast, move forward with electric vehicles and reducing air pollution. We could work together to create fuel efficiency standards, electrify our roads and ports while reducing range anxiety, replace gas-guzzlers with EVs and promote public transportation. Our region is particularly at risk from air pollution from the transportation sector and surrounding states exacerbate these problems. The Governor needs to move forward with accepting and dedicating the Volkswagen settlement money. We need to also move forward with EV incentives, electric busses, and creating a network of charging stations,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We support joining a regional plan to address the serious issues of out-dates and polluting transportation systems.”