Bloomberg Campaign Press Release - Mike Bloomberg Unveils Clean Transportation Plan

Outlines roadmap to reverse Trump administration rollbacks, electrify all new cars by 2035, and build high-speed rail to reduce pollution and congestion across the country

Prioritizes communities that face the worst air pollution by investing in more accessible, equitable transit options and incentives to make electric vehicles affordable for families and businesses.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA — Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg today released his plan to slash pollution and congestion in American transportation. Cars, trucks, and buses are the largest source of carbon pollution contributing to climate change, making up 30% of U.S. emissions and causing asthma and other health problems, especially in low-income communities. Mike's clean transportation policy is part of his comprehensive plan to fight the climate crisis, cut carbon pollution economy-wide in the U.S. by 50% by 2030, and put us on the pathway to a clean energy economy before mid-century.

Mike's plan promises a nationwide effort in his first term to replace polluting cars and trucks with pollution-free vehicles, with incentives to make the vehicles affordable for all families and income levels and guarantee access to charging infrastructure. He will also focus on improving air quality in low-income communities and communities of color that have faced the worst climate pollution, prioritizing access to public transit and efforts to replace diesel trucks and buses with clean vehicles.

"Vehicles haven't always been the biggest carbon polluters in America — coal used to hold that title. But in the last decade, we've closed hundreds of coal plants and moved to cleaner, renewable sources of energy. And I know we can transition to clean, pollution-free vehicles, too," said Mike Bloomberg. "My plan will ensure that electric vehicles and charging infrastructure are affordable and accessible to all Americans. I'll roll back President Trump's efforts to weaken emissions standards, create more clean energy jobs, and drive us toward a healthier, carbon-free future."

Mike's initiatives stand in stark contrast to the ongoing anti-environmental efforts by the Trump Administration to block Obama-era gas mileage and pollution standards and remove states' rights to set stronger standards. Mike will not only reinstate and strengthen those standards, but add requirements for automakers to increase the number of electric vehicles they make available to consumers. Mike will also ramp up investment in transit systems and bike and pedestrian infrastructure to provide Americans with climate-friendly transit and transportation options.

Mike's plan will provide a significant boost to job creation, and he will work to make sure that the jobs created are good jobs that support the right to organize, fair wages, workforce development, and American manufacturing. These steps will result in more affordable and equitable transit options for all Americans, as well as a pollution-free environment and a clean energy future.

This plan is just one in a series of bold, near-term, and achievable actions that Mike is releasing to combat climate change by cutting emissions in the U.S. by 50% by 2030. Mike's clean energy plan includes three core pillars that will put the nation on the pathway to full decarbonization before mid-century. Mike's Clean Transportation plan follows his Clean Buildings plan and his Clean Power plan.

Mike's Clean Transportation Plan

As the largest source of carbon pollution in the United States, our country is not able to reduce its emissions without placing a strong focus on revamping the transportation sector. While transitioning into a cleaner transportation industry, we must ensure that low-income communities are not left behind. Mike is committed to prioritizing the decarbonization of the transportation sector and making it affordable and equitable for all.

HOW MIKE WILL GET IT DONE:

• Mike will electrify all new cars by 2035 and make sure electric vehicles are affordable and convenient for families of all income levels. Mike will reinstate the federal gas mileage and pollution standards for passenger cars and trucks, and put in place an aggressive schedule to put the U.S. on pace to make 100% of new vehicles pollution-free by 2035. He will also make electric vehicles affordable for all families by expanding tax credits and offering low-income families a rebate when they trade in older vehicles. In addition, he will build a network of charging stations along the highway system, aiming to place a station every 50 miles.
• Mike will reduce diesel pollution from trucks, buses, and ports, especially in low-income communities with the worst air pollution, and save their owners money on fuel. Mike will put in place an aggressive schedule for pollution reductions from heavy-duty vehicles, pushing for 15% to be electric by 2030. In addition, he'll launch a program to help communities reduce diesel pollution by deploying electric delivery trucks and school and transit buses, prioritizing low-income areas with high levels of air pollution.
• Mike will improve access to public transit and build high-speed rail, reducing pollution and congestion. Mike will invest in metro-area public transit and intercity rail and bus systems, as well as incentivize local governments to prioritize zero-emission transit systems, like biking and pedestrian networks. Mike will also invest in planning regional higher-speed rail networks and work with states to jump-start construction, building at least one new high-speed rail corridor by 2025 and investing to electrify the existing rail system.
• Mike will invest in research & development to accelerate toward a zero-pollution transportation system. As part of Mike's plan to quadruple clean energy R&D to $250 billion over 10 years, his administration will increase investment in vehicle battery technologies, including vehicle-to-grid technologies, and low- and no-carbon technologies for aviation and other transportation modes that are harder to electrify with current technology.
• Mike will lead by example and electrify the government fleet. As part of Mike's "Buy Clean" initiative for federal buildings, Mike will ensure that new vehicles purchased by the federal government are zero-emissions vehicles, and expand access to vehicle charging at federal facilities.

Additional Quotes

"We already know that our transportation contributes to our air pollution – hitting lower-income communities and people of color hardest — the good news is, we now have the technology and know-how to change that," said San Jose, California Mayor and California Co-Chair Sam Liccardo. "In San Jose, we brought equity to the forefront of all our transportation planning and appreciate Mike's comprehensive approach to preserve our planet for future generations."

"Science demonstrates that greenhouse gas pollution from transportation has an adverse impact on the environment and on human health," said Gary Guzy, who formerly served as Deputy Director and General Counsel of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and as General Counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency. "I applaud Mike for his holistic approach to transitioning the nation to a clean, efficient, and healthy transportation system to take on this significant challenge. Strategies such as aggressively ramping up fuel efficiency standards and electrifying vehicles will be critical to guiding this transition."

"Transportation electrification is critical to creating a low cost, low emission, and fuel diverse transportation future for all. Electrification can end the monopoly that oil has on our transportation sector, one that puts our country at great economic and national security risk," said Ben Prochazka, national director for a leading transportation electrification policy organization. "I am personally excited that Mike Bloomberg's Clean Transportation plan provides an ambitious platform that prioritizes accelerating the electrification of our nation's passenger vehicles, freight sector, buses and other forms of transport in the U.S."