N.C. Clean Transportation Plan is a good start, but needs action

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—The Southern Environmental Law Center issued the following statement regarding the Clean Transportation Plan announced by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The plan’s mission is to develop a list of actionable strategies to reduce pollution that causes climate change from the state’s transportation sector.

“The Clean Transportation Plan submitted to the Governor is a good start, but it is not a plan that puts North Carolina on track to meet goals to slow climate change,” said Megan Kimball, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center. “The transportation sector is responsible for more climate changing pollution than any other sector, so North Carolina needs to take swift and comprehensive action to avoid worse harms to families and businesses statewide. We urge the administration to get to work quickly to implement the plan and make measurable progress towards improving North Carolinians’ access to cleaner, more equitable transportation options.”

The Southern Environmental Law Center earlier submitted comments on behalf of a dozen community and environmental organizations calling for the administration to show leadership and commit to specific action, including making smarter spending decisions to prioritize clean transportation projects like sidewalks, bike lanes, and public transportation; dedicating more funding and resources to underserved communities; and holding itself accountable by setting targets to measure the success of the plan.

North Carolina’s Clean Transportation Plan builds on a legal settlement with the N.C. Department of Transportation to tackle heat-trapping pollution that is harming families and businesses statewide.