Longmont is doing its part to tackle climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to transportation, Mayor Brian Bagley said this week. But any lasting improvements in Colorado’s air must come through regional and state-wide action, Bagley added.
“... Longmont’s actions alone will not be enough to meet our ambitious goals — transportation issues must be addressed at a regional and statewide scale,” Bagley said via email.
The mayor and other local officials generally praised the Colorado Department of Transportation’s updated carbon pollution plan, released this week. The plan includes rules that would require major transportation projects be designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help Colorado meet the state’s greenhouse gas reduction targets, according to a news release from the Colorado Communities for Climate Action, or CC4CA.
The CC4CA is a coalition of local governments working to strengthen statewide climate policy. At least 40 counties and municipalities across Colorado applaud CDOT for its updated proposed carbon pollution plan while also pointing out its shortcomings, the news release states.
“Every community across Colorado is suffering the impacts of climate change, and transportation pollution is the biggest culprit,” Eagle County Commissioner Matt Scherr, who also serves as vice president of Colorado Communities for Climate Action, said in the news release.
“Although there are few places where it needs to be strengthened, the plan takes climate pollution seriously and represents a serious attempt to bring those pollution levels down,” Scherr said.
The updates to the proposed rule include tracking and reporting Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and losing key loopholes, the news release states.
“CDOT’s revisions to its proposed transportation GHG (GreenHouse Gas) rules are encouraging,” said Boulder County Commissioners Claire Levy in the news release. “This updated proposal includes reporting VMT, which is a critical step, however, including VMT targets would be better for reducing pollution and protecting disproportionately impacted communities.”
Bagley said Longmont supports strengthening CDOT’s proposal to tackle the pollution associated with transportation and greenhouse gas emissions at the regional and state level.
Longmont, Bagley said, encourages efforts to reduce emissions from the transportation sector in an equitable way. “All members of our community should have affordable and convenient access to active transportation, electric vehicles and other forms of transportation that result in cleaner air, greater connectivity to services and transportation modes, increased safety of our transportation systems and new job opportunities.”
The city already has comprehensive plans and projects underway to increase access to local transit, biking and walking and support the electrification of the transportation sector, Bagley said.
