Where we’re going, we don’t need fossil fuels

Evan Gillespie
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

Earlier today, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) passed a sweeping action that is sure to shape the future of public transit in California and beyond. After hours of testimony on a number of electric bus related items, the Metro Board adopted a plant that will shift the agency to 100% electric buses by 2030.

The policy doesn’t stop there, however. The Board made clear that they want the buses powered by clean energy, the jobs to be good (union) jobs, and the benefits of the transition to benefit environmental justice communities first. The comprehensive motion spoke to all of these goals and values.

Motion sponsors Bonin, Garcetti, Hahn, Najarian, and Solis deserve a lot of credit for their leadership. Over the last few weeks, powerful gas industry lobbyists pushed hard to water down or block the program from moving forward.

Today, the Boardroom overflowed with union members, environmentalists, community groups, utility representatives, health experts, electric bus makers, and young people. Metro put a down payment on their electric future, picking up 95 buses to electrify the Orange Line and begin to electrify the Silver Line. These lines will be electrified first and be finished by 2020 as a large pilot of sorts. With success there, Metro will shift (pun intended!) into overdrive and begin adding 200 or more electric buses year over year through 2030, when the entire fleet will shift. Put another way, with the recent purchase of CNG buses, Metro is set to never buy a polluting bus again.

This isn’t the culmination of a campaign as it is the next step in our transition away from fossil fuels towards a prosperous, more equitable future. Our coalition (which has been possibly the most fun group of folks I’ve had a chance to work with in the 8 years I’ve been with Sierra Club), will continue to push for good jobs, clean energy, and an equitable roll out. Meanwhile, there’s no shortage of work to do as the City of LA considers converting its own fleet of buses to electric, and there a dozen or more smaller agencies across the county that still run on gas.

For now though, we’ll raise a glass to partnership, hard work, and bold leaders. Hopefully, it’s the beginning of something even bigger. It’s not everyday that unions, manufacturers, health officials, utilities, environmentalists and community groups join forces in support of the same goal — clean air, good jobs, and a safe climate. It’s not every day that you can say that we’re ending the use of fossil fuels in a sector of our economy. It’s not everyday you get to feel proud watching elected officials fight for what’s right (ahem, Washington D.C.).

Today was a good day.

Evan Gillespie

Written by

"Self-proclaimed environmentalist." Got the radio on. @SierraClub's @BeyondCoal Western Deputy Director, runs something called @MyGenerationSC.

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