Ian Brickey, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
Larisa Manescu, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen coordination between their two agencies in order to increase access to national parks and improve options to get there in a pollution-free ride, including the electrification of public transit fleets, electric vehicle charging stations, and shared bikes and scooters.
The Outdoors Alliance for Kids recently sent a letter signed by 40 nonprofit and outdoor industry organizations urging Congress to pass the Transit to Trails Act, legislation that the Sierra Club has advocated for in order to prioritize equitable access and increased transportation options to parks, trails, green spaces, and public lands.
“This is an important step in making public lands and waters more accessible for all. Inadequate public transit to public lands limits puts the positive benefits of spending time in nature out of reach for too many. We welcome this announcement and call on Congress to take additional steps to ensure that all people are able to exercise their right to experience nature,” said Jackie Ostfeld, Director of Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All campaign.
“It’s exciting to see this valuable partnership to promote clean and affordable transportation to national parks, which will improve access to nature and slash climate-disrupting emissions. We urge for more to be done -- through passage of the Transit to Trails Act -- so that these trips are not only limited to people with the means or desire to own a car,” said Katherine García, Acting Director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.