Save The Bay voices support for Governor Raimondo’s decision to involve Rhode Island in the Transportation Climate Initiative
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – December 21, 2020 – Save The Bay applauds Governor Gina Raimondo’s announcement that she is affirming Rhode Island’s support for the Transportation Climate Initiative, a regional agreement among Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce air pollution from the transportation sector. Air pollution from transportation accounts for approximately 35-40 percent of the regional greenhouse gas emissions that both contribute to climate change and exacerbate health problems, such as asthma.
“The Narragansett Bay region is being hit hard by a rapidly changing climate. Rising seas and increasingly frequent and intense storms are harming habitats, causing damaging flooding along rivers and streams, eroding shorelines and threatening iconic public access points along the Bay,” said Jonathan Stone, Save The Bay Executive Director.
“We support Rhode Island’s participation in TCI as a way to further reduce greenhouse emissions. The initiative imposes a declining cap on carbon emissions from the transportation sector and provides an efficient means to incentivize emission reductions. Revenues generated by a modest tax on carbon will be directed toward investments in infrastructure, low-emission vehicles, mobile workforce technology, public transit, and low-income communities hardest hit by chronic air pollution from vehicles.”
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About Save The Bay: Founded in 1970, the Rhode Island-based nonprofit Save The Bay seeks to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and its 1,705-square-mile watershed. The organization works to achieve its vision of a fully swimmable, fishable Narragansett Bay, accessible to all, through its advocacy, education, and habitat restoration and adaptation work. Learn more about Save The Bay at savebay.org.