Clean Cities Act promotes sustainable transportation, energy efforts

Congressman A. Donald McEachin (D-VA-04) introduced the Clean Cities Act this week to authorize the Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program.

The Clean Cities Program aims to cultivate partnerships with local Clean Cities coalitions to leverage federal resources to help reduce petroleum usage and dependance. The program will help protect environmental justice communities that have historically borne the brunt of pollution and other harmful impacts caused by transportation corridors. The Clean Cities Program includes advancing alternative fuel vehicles, implementing eco-friendly infrastructure education programs, and providing a database to ensure cities are lowering their greenhouse gas emissions.

“Pollution and emissions from the transportation sector threaten the health and safety of our communities every day,” McEachin said. “As we have seen through the increase in global temperatures and severe weather events such as droughts or wildfires, urgent action is necessary to address our climate crisis. From helping localities transition to cleaner vehicles to installing electric vehicle charging stations, Clean Cities coalitions play a critical role in green infrastructure development. The Clean Cities Act will help communities in Virginia and throughout the United States reduce their carbon footprint and create a healthier, greener future for our country.”

“The Clean Cities program has been one of the nation’s most effective tools in promoting the use of cleaner domestic fuel sources, improving local air quality, and deploying advanced vehicle technologies,” said Alleyn Harned, President of Transportation Energy Partners, a national non-profit organization that works closely with the country’s 75 Clean Cities coalitions. “Congressman McEachin’s legislation will empower the Virginia Clean Cities Coalition and our colleagues across the country to leverage hundreds of millions in private investment to enable vehicles using electricity, natural gas, propane, biodiesel, ethanol, and hydrogen to advance in the marketplace.”

The Clean Cities Act is supported by the following organizations: Virginia Clean Cities, Iowa Clean Cities, Chicago Clean Cities, Yellowstone Teton Clean Cities, Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities, Western Washington Clean Cities, California Central Coast Clean Cities, Vermont Clean Cities, New Jersey Clean Cities, San Joaquin Valley Clean Cities, St. Louis Clean Cities, Sacramento Clean Cities (CA), Drive Clean Indiana, Inc., Empire Clean Cities (NY), Land of Enchantment Clean Cities (NM), Breathe California of the Bay Area, Clean Fuels Ohio, Alabama Clean Fuels, Lone Star Clean Fuels Alliance (TX), Louisiana Clean Fuels, Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities (PA), Maine Clean Communities, Connecticut Southwestern Area Clean Cities, Northern Colorado Clean Cities, Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance for Clean Transportation, Clean Communities of Central New York, Valley of the Sun Clean Cities (AZ), East Bay Clean Cities (Oakland, CA), Clean Communities of Western New York, Michigan Clean Cities, Drive Clean Colorado, Utah Clean Cities, Virginia Clean Cities (Roanoke), Clean Cities Georgia, East Tennessee Clean Fuels, State of West Virginia Clean Cities, and San Francisco Clean Cities.

Read the Clean Cities Act bill text and quotes of support.