Sacramento, CA - With half of the global warming emissions in the Bay Area coming from the transportation sector, Assemblymember Jared Huffman has announced the introduction of AB 2744, to provide funding for projects that will reduce climate change pollution from Bay Area cars and trucks while giving commuters new choices for getting out of congestion.

The bill is a collaboration between Assemblymember Huffman and the Transportation and Land Use Coalition and would authorize the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to put before the voters a climate impact fee of up to 10 cents per gallon of gas to provide funding for the Climate Protection Fund.  If the proposed fee, starting at 2 cents and phasing in to up to 10 cents, is approved by a majority of Bay Area voters, it would support an unprecedented regional commitment to tackling global warming by funding cost-effective programs to make transit faster and more convenient, operational improvements to relieve congestion, and bicycle and pedestrian-friendly projects – strategies that reduce vehicle miles traveled and help meet our state’s GHG reduction goals.

“The people of the Bay Area want to do their part to tackle global warming, while at the same time promoting cleaner, healthier, and more livable communities.  This bill gives them an important tool to do that,” said Assemblymember Huffman.

Nearly 70 percent of Bay Area commuters still drive alone to work, with a trip average of 29.4 minutes each way. A mid-sized car traveling 10,000-15,000 miles per year alone produces 5.5 tons of CO2 annually. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, average weekday daily vehicle miles traveled is projected to increase 41.3 percent between 2000 and 2030. 

“California is spending over $100 million per day on foreign oil and getting more dependent every year,” said Stuart Cohen, Executive Director of the Transportation and Land Use Coalition.  “This Fund would instead make sure that some of that money is used to help commuters stuck in traffic get great new transit options and walkable communities so we can spend less on transportation overall.”
 
A poll recently done by the Commission found high support for a regional gas fee focused on reducing the Bay Area’s greenhouse gas emissions. The poll results showed nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) answered that global warming is extremely important and should be one of the highest priorities in transportation planning in the Bay Area. In a separate poll conducted by EMC Research in October 2007, 61% of respondents agreed that “global warming is such an urgent, wide spread problem that it must be addressed at all levels, including city, county and regional governments.”

“Traffic and climate change are top concerns of Bay Area residents in our polling, yet we do not have the funding available to match the scale of the crisis in front of us,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “We applaud legislation that creates significant new source of funds dedicated to reducing climate emissions and increasing mobility.”