Author: Jason Martin

Climate Mayors Release Declaration Supporting State’s Rights to Advance Electric Vehicles through Tightened Fuel Economy Standards

Resolution follows Climate Mayors Leadership Forum in Reno where city leaders focused on sharing ambitious solutions at local level

June 6, 2022 — Today, Climate Mayors released a declaration supporting states’ rights to advance electrification through fuel economy standards after city leaders gathered in Reno for the Climate Mayors Leadership Forum last week. Climate Mayors asserted its unwavering support for the mayors of New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, and the 19 states that have taken legal action to support states’ rights to set stronger emission regulations. The declaration follows the challenge to California’s decision to set its own auto emission standards, which, if repealed, would increase greenhouse gas emissions and worsen air pollution. 

Climate Mayors is focused on addressing the largest sources of emissions and pollution in U.S. cities. Recognizing the transportation sector as the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, Climate Mayors launched their EV Purchasing Collaborative in 2018 to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. The Collaborative has helped cities convert municipal fleets by leveraging the collective buying power of cities to increase EV affordability and access across the country.

Specifically, the declaration states that Climate Mayors:

  1. Agrees with member mayors in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC— along with the 19 states who all filed a motion to intervene— that California has the right to regulate auto emissions, and that is key to reducing emissions which impact disadvantaged communities the most while helping make EVs more accessible, affordable, and available for everyone.
  2. Supports the renewal and expansion of federal tax credits for EVs, and urges Congress to act.
  3. Supports state plans for EV corridor charging funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that includes: investments in disadvantaged and underserved communities first, EV charging stations designed as multi-modal hubs; Public charging infrastructure; and rewarding states, regions, and cities that pass policies and implement programs to improve affordability of EV ownership and access.

Full text of the declaration can be found below.

CLIMATE MAYORS EV DECLARATION

We, the Climate Mayors, are 485 mayors strong, both Democrats and Republicans from 48 states committed to equitable climate action. Given that the transportation sector represents the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and, in many of our communities, the largest source of air pollution— we are committed to accelerating transportation electrification.

Many Climate Mayors members have been advancing the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in municipal fleets, installing public EV charging, prioritizing shared mobility along with active and public transit. We are also working together to support the growth and development of the EV market.  In 2018, Climate Mayors launched an EV Purchasing Collaborative which has expanded from city governments to include county governments, transit agencies, port authorities, colleges and universities. Collectively, we have committed to purchasing over 4,000 EVs. The Collaborative is an unprecedented cooperation of Climate Mayors cities to leverage their collective buying power and accelerate the conversion of municipal fleets to electric—sending a powerful signal to the global car market and helping America to maintain its commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement. 

Reducing urban transportation emissions and improving local air quality depends on local action, aligned state laws, and strong federal standards. 

Since 1968 when California was granted its first Clean Air Act waiver A lawsuit was filed recently in the U.S. Court of Appeals against California’s waiver which allows it to implement its own greenhouse gas emission standards for cars and light trucks that other states can also adopt and enforce., emissions have dropped significantly within the state and the seventeen states that have chosen to adopt its standards.The lawsuit filed against California’s waiver in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit by Ohio and 16 other states would increase greenhouse gas emissions— contributing to climate change and inviting threats such as extreme heat, sea-level rise, and worsened air pollution— and increase criteria and toxic pollutants, leading to immediate and acute public health threats. 

As Climate Mayors, we:

  1. Agree with our member mayors in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC— along with the 19 states who all filed a motion to intervene— that California has the right to regulate auto emissions, and that is key to reducing emissions which impact disadvantaged communities the most while helping make EVs more accessible, affordable, and available for everyone.
  2. Support the renewal and expansion of federal tax credits for EVs, and urge Congress to act.
  3. Support state plans for EV corridor charging funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that includes:
    • Investment in disadvantaged and underserved communities first in frontline and fenceline communities next to highways and near ports, airports, and other industrial sites linked to the nationwide highway network. 
    • EV charging stations designed as multi-modal hubs that are convenient, safe, and compatible with the movement of people across all modes of transportation, including public transit, sited in locations where the density and land use are consistent with multiple forms of activity and mobility.
    • Public charging infrastructure at city libraries or public parks offers access and convenience for city residents, as well as for city government employees driving fleet vehicles. Installing charging infrastructure within multi-unit dwellings and housing authority properties improves equity of access to electric mobility.
    • Rewarding states, regions, and cities that pass policies and implement programs to improve affordability of EV ownership and access. 

Climate Mayors will continue to take significant steps to advance equitable climate action in our cities and reduce emissions from cars— including electrifying transportation, increasing investments in public transit and active transportation, and expanding shared zero emissions mobility solutions. We will also advocate for state and federal policy to support cities— together in partnership we can improve the health and sustainability of our communities and address the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change. 

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About Climate Mayors

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of 474 U.S. city mayors who have committed to fighting climate change. Originally founded in 2014 by 3 mayors, the network’s ranks swelled to almost 400 mayors in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in June 2017. Climate Mayors is committed to accelerating equitable climate action to help each member city achieve their climate goals, while working together city-to-city, with states, and the Biden administration to increase national climate ambition. For more information, please visit WWW.CLIMATEMAYORS.ORG.

 

CLIMATE MAYORS’ LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCES HIRING OF NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMITS TO ACCELERATING EQUITABLE CLIMATE ACTION IN NEARLY 500 MEMBER CITIES

Kate Wright Appointed Executive Director as Climate Mayors Focus on Cities Deploying Historic Federal Investment in EV Charging Infrastructure & Resiliency

March 9, 2022 — The mayoral leadership and board of directors of Climate Mayors—a growing network of nearly 500 U.S. mayors who have committed to accelerating equitable climate action in cities—announced today the appointment of Kate Wright as its new executive director. Wright joins Climate Mayors from CivicWell (formerly the Local Government Commission), where she worked with city and other local government leaders to spearhead environmental initiatives on climate resilience, clean mobility, sustainable water management, livable communities, renewable energy, and affordable housing.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kate Wright as Climate Mayors’ Executive Director. I am confident she will help grow the organization and bring additional resources to help U.S. mayors accelerate equitable climate action in cities,” said Sylvester Turner, Climate Mayors Chair and Mayor of Houston. “Climate Mayors is the leading organization helping U.S. cities meet the urgency of the climate crisis. As we enter our next chapter, Kate’s knowledge and experience working with local leaders will be pivotal in advancing solutions in communities across the country. and working more closely with the Biden Administration to ensure we invest in our communities through E.V. charging and other critical climate action.”

“After the board conducted a nationwide search with hundreds of applicants, we are excited to have Kate help the Climate Mayors meet this critical moment,” said Matt Petersen, President of the Climate Mayors board of directors. “With her decade of leadership at CivicWell and working with local governments, the board is confident Kate will help Climate Mayors attract increased resources, grow an experienced staff, and create dynamic programming.”

“Kate has been a powerful local leader on climate issues, and I know she is the right person to lead Climate Mayors into their next chapter. I’m proud of what we have been able to achieve together for Sacramento and California with CivicWell and the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change, and look forward to seeing the impact she’ll have with this national network,” said Climate Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Mayor of Sacramento, CA.

Led by Chair and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and Vice-Chairs Mayors Kate Gallego of Phoenix and Satya Rhodes-Conway of Madison, Climate Mayors has grown since its founding in 2014 from 3 mayors to nearly 500 mayors from 48 states today. The leadership of Climate Mayors has created a new governance structure that includes a renewed steering committee, an expanded board of directors, and annual elections of officers. Mayors Turner, Gallego, and Rhodes-Conway recently met with senior DOE and DOT officials, including Secretary Pete Buttigieg, reaffirming their commitment to working with the Biden Administration to ensure funding for EV charging, resiliency, and other investments—thanks to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—meets the needs of cities. On the heels of the latest IPCC report, Climate Mayors stand ready to implement solutions in their communities to build resilience and sustainability.

“It’s been such an honor to lead CivicWell for almost a decade, developing the CivicSpark AmeriCorps program and the California Adaptation Forum and other impactful programs advancing climate resilience. I am now thrilled to take this experience to lead Climate Mayors at such an exciting time for local leadership,” said Wright. “All across the nation, Climate Mayors are responding to the urgency of climate change by reimagining how we power, build and move throughout cities. These living laboratories are fostering the next generation of solutions that will be replicated across the globe, catalyzing the virtuous cycle of innovation needed to ensure long-term community resiliency and prosperity.”

Climate Mayors and its work to accelerate equitable climate action cities across the country is made possible in great part thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies. Microsoft has committed to underwrite the annual Climate Mayors symposium, scheduled for June 2, 2022 in Reno, NV.

 

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About Climate Mayors

Representing over 74 million Americans from 48 states, Climate Mayors is a peer-to-peer network of 474 U.S. city mayors who have committed to fighting climate change. Originally founded in 2014 by 3 mayors, the network’s ranks swelled to almost 400 mayors in response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in June 2017. Climate Mayors is committed to accelerating equitable climate action to help each member city achieve their climate goals, while working together city-to-city, with states, and the Biden administration to increase national climate ambition. For more information, please visit WWW.CLIMATEMAYORS.ORG.

About CivicWell

CivicWell, formerly the Local Government Commission, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supporting sustainable policies and the community leaders who implement them. It inspires, equips, connects, and cultivates leadership for local innovation and community change, especially for leaders responding to the climate crisis and its impacts on their communities. Since 1982, CivicWell has engaged local elected officials, government agencies, and community-based organizations through policy guidance, collaborative partnerships and coalitions, and direct assistance.