BOSTON - Friday,
December 10, 2021 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced several new steps to
reduce vehicle emissions by accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles
and other low-emission transportation options in Boston. The steps were
announced at a December 10 hearing of the City Council Committee on
Environment, Resiliency and Parks on Docket #1044, sponsored by Councilors
Matt O’Malley and Ed Flynn.
The Mayor announced
a new Fleet Utilization Policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the
City's vehicle fleet, as well as expanded access to electric-vehicle (EV)
charging infrastructure and EV car share programs. These actions support
the City’s carbon neutrality goals and expand upon Boston's Zero Emission Vehicles Roadmap, which outlines pathways to provide publicly available EV charging stations or EV car share options within a 10-minute
walk of every household in Boston by 2030. In tandem, these steps support
widespread adoption of electrification, help ensure affordable, convenient
access to charging, and accelerate the electrification of the municipal
fleet.
“We need urgent
action to drive down vehicle emissions and protect the health of our
communities,” said Mayor Wu. “These steps will contribute to cleaner air
and lower emissions, advancing Boston’s efforts to become a Green New Deal
city.”
“With federal
investments in electric vehicle charging stations, proposed legislation on
increasing tax credits for purchasing EVs, and our automakers shifting
their focus to electric vehicles - it is critical for us to ensure that the
City of Boston has the infrastructure in place to meet future demand,” said
Councilor Flynn. “I want to thank Councilor O’Malley for his partnership,
and Mayor Wu and her Administration for taking steps to accelerate the
transition of our municipal fleet and increasing Boston’s public charging
infrastructure to ensure that we reach our carbon neutrality goals, and do
our part to combat pollution, climate change and sea level rise.”
“I am thrilled to
see the implementation of the new Fleet Utilization Policy, which furthers
the City's net-zero carbon goals, making Boston a cleaner and healthier
city,” said Chair of the Environment, Resiliency and Parks Committee Matt
O'Malley. "By addressing our vehicle emissions through expanding
electric-vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and adopting an efficient
municipal fleet, the City of Boston is leading by example and creating more
access for more sustainable vehicle options."
The City of Boston
maintains 1,200 vehicles in its fleet, not including school buses and public
safety vehicles, to support departmental needs and the effective delivery
of services to its residents. Forward-looking fleet management is crucial
to support City operations while meeting the emissions reduction goals laid
out in the City’s Climate Action Plan. The new Fleet Utilization Policy will increase City workers’ use of shared
rather than individual vehicles, reduce unnecessary vehicle purchases, and
accelerate the electrification of light-duty vehicles. Right-sizing the
municipal fleet and transitioning to electric or other clean vehicle
technologies can mitigate approximately one quarter of greenhouse gas
emissions from Boston’s municipal operations.
Mayor Wu is taking
additional steps to create convenient, environmentally-friendly
transportation options by expanding the City of Boston’s electric vehicle
charging infrastructure in municipal lots. An additional 28 publicly
accessible EV charging plugs will be installed in Nubian Square, Mattapan
Square, Uphams Corner, and South Boston in January 2022, and 50 more will
be installed throughout 2022.
Recently, the City
of Boston partnered with Nuestra Comunidad and E4TheFuture to launch Good2Go, a community-based EV car share service in Roxbury. This
recent expansion adds four additional EVs to the Nubian Square area. It
provides clean and convenient personal transit options for area residents,
with a focus on equity and affordability for low-income residents.
Qualifying residents pay as little as $5 per hour, making this an
affordable transportation option that reduces carbon emissions and
facilitates a car-free lifestyle. Together, these three steps align with Go Boston 2030, the City’s transportation plan to create
accessible, sustainable transportation options for all Boston
residents.
“Switching our
vehicles from gas-powered to electric is a critical component of ensuring
our streets are healthy and sustainable while helping us achieve our carbon
neutrality goals,” said Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment,
Energy and Open Space. “This is an exciting option for the City of Boston
to ensure that our employees and residents have access to vehicles that
better align with our environmental goals.”
"The City of
Boston is always looking for innovative solutions to provide safe, clean
and reliable transportation to our workforce," stated Public Works
Director of Fleet Maintenance, Bill Coughlin. "We're excited to expand
our electric fleet and charging infrastructure, and we remain committed to
cost-reducing, green technology that improves air quality and reduces
emissions."
“The installation of
electric vehicle charging infrastructure will provide additional options
for our residents to get to where they are going in an environmentally
friendly and convenient way,” said Boston Transportation Department Interim
Commissioner Bradley Gerratt. “We are looking forward to expanding this
program in all of the city’s neighborhoods.”
Transportation
accounts for nearly a third of Boston's total greenhouse gas emissions, 65
percent of which comes from personal vehicles. These initiatives expand
upon the Wu Administration’s commitment to a city Green New Deal and
equitable access to transportation. Last week, the City Council voted in
favor of Mayor Wu’s proposed appropriation order for $8 million in federal
funds to eliminate fares on the 23, 28 and 29 MBTA bus routes for a two-year period. Mayor Wu also signed
her first ordinance to divest City funds from the fossil fuel, tobacco and private
prison industries. |
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