Today, nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and Washington D.C. announced plans to take the first step towards designing a new regional low-carbon transportation policy. Following many years of foundational work, including several recent months of information gathering and engagement with communities, businesses, and other key stakeholders, the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) will now begin work on policy and program development to address mobility, accessibility, and pollution issues embedded within the transportation sector.Today, nine Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and Washington D.C. announced plans to take the first step towards designing a new regional low-carbon transportation policy. Following many years of foundational work, including several recent months of information gathering and engagement with communities, businesses, and other key stakeholders, the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) will now begin work on policy and program development to address mobility, accessibility, and pollution issues embedded within the transportation sector.

This announcement is an historic step towards tackling one of our greatest environmental challenges. Nationally, transportation accounts for the largest portion of harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Issues of mobility and accessibility also have a significant impact on the region, particularly for those living in rural areas. There is an urgent need to modernize our system to provide affordable, reliable transportation solutions that meet the everyday needs of people in the region and reduce transportation sector emissions. VEIC acknowledges that the complexity of modernizing our transportation system takes significant leadership and is larger than one state can accomplish alone. The TCI will bring together the resources and political influence of nine states and D.C. to take aim at these environmental and social challenges that impact the entire Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region.

VEIC commends all of the participating leaders: Governor Phil Scott of Vermont, Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., Governor Dannel Malloy of Connecticut, Governor John Carney of Delaware, Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland, Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, Governor Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, and Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia. This collaborative, bipartisan effort is a great example of what’s needed to tackle our toughest climate challenges and to address the transportation energy burden of our most vulnerable people.

This announcement is an historic step towards tackling one of our greatest environmental challenges. Nationally, transportation accounts for the largest portion of harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Issues of mobility and accessibility also have a significant impact on the region, particularly for those living in rural areas. There is an urgent need to modernize our system to provide affordable, reliable transportation solutions that meet the everyday needs of people in the region and reduce transportation sector emissions. VEIC acknowledges that the complexity of modernizing our transportation system takes significant leadership and is larger than one state can accomplish alone. The TCI will bring together the resources and political influence of nine states and D.C. to take aim at these environmental and social challenges that impact the entire Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region.

VEIC commends all of the participating leaders: Governor Phil Scott of Vermont, Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., Governor Dannel Malloy of Connecticut, Governor John Carney of Delaware, Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland, Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, Governor Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, and Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia. This collaborative, bipartisan effort is a great example of what’s needed to tackle our toughest climate challenges and to address the transportation energy burden of our most vulnerable people.