Senate Urged to Increase Funding Level, Pass Proposal Before Summer Recess
Harrisburg, PA—PennEnvironment applauded the passage of a transportation funding package (House Bill 1590) through the state House this morning as a victory for Pennsylvania’s environment that will give a much-needed financial boost to public transportation agencies across the state.
While the legislation’s estimated $250 million in initial annual funding for public transportation falls well short of what was deemed necessary by a recent state report, it is a significant improvement over the current funding system. The legislation now moves to the state Senate, where PennEnvironment is calling for an increase in the funding level for public transportation and a vote before the summer recess.
“Vibrant public transportation systems are absolutely critical to Pennsylvania’s fight against air pollution and global warming,” said Nathan Willcox, Energy and Clean Air Advocate for PennEnvironment. “This legislation is a big step in the right direction for public transportation in Pennsylvania, and PennEnvironment urges the state Senate to improve upon and pass this important legislation before the summer recess.”
The state House passed the legislation by a vote of 105-96 this morning. The legislation relies mainly on new bonds and the tolling of Interstate 80 to provide roughly $700 million in initial funding for the state’s transportation needs, roughly $250 of which will be allotted for public transportation. Both of these amounts would increase in subsequent years.
Public transportation’s benefits for Pennsylvania’s environment stem from avoided air pollution from car trips not taken. A 2002 Federal Highway Administration study concluded that “Public transportation produces about 90 percent less volatile organic compounds… and almost 50 percent less nitrogen oxides [the main ingredients in smog pollution] and carbon dioxide [the primary global warming pollutant] than private vehicles that transport the same number of people.”
Already, Pennsylvania creates more global warming pollution than every state besides Texas and California, and our cars and trucks are a big part of the problem. In addition, pollution from cars and trucks helps to create the smog pollution that triggers over 300,000 asthma attack each year in Pennsylvania.
“Global warming is the most pressing environmental problem facing Pennsylvania and the planet, and steep reductions in global warming pollution from our transportation sector will be critical to tackling this problem,” said Willcox. “Our public transportation systems are an essential tool in making these pollution reductions a reality.”
The state’s Transportation Funding & Reform Commission found last year that the state’s public transportation systems were in need of $760 million annually in dedicated funding. Accordingly, PennEnvironment is urging the state Senate to increase the funding level for public transportation within the legislation before passing the legislation prior to the summer recess.
“Pennsylvania’s public transportation systems deserve a bigger boost in funding than the legislation’s current language provides, but this is nonetheless a big step in the right direction,” said Willcox.
