Check out these clips of Sierra Club in the news! If you see something we've missed, let us know at mediatracker@mdsierra.org.
RECENT EDITORIALS OF INTEREST
- Commentary: Maryland needs more info on toll lane contract; vote must be delayed – Baltimore Sun, 10/9/21
- Opinion: Pricey Toll Lane Plan Won't Solve Regional Traffic Issues - Maryland Matters, 11/1/21
- Opinion: The true cost of Maryland’s toll-road plan - The Washington Post, 11/12/21
- Opinion: MDOT’s Road Plan Is Worse Than I Thought - Maryland Matters, 1/4/22
- Opinion: Use Caution. I-495 Toll Lanes Not as Advertised - Maryland Matters, 1/14/22
- Opinion: MDOT’s Emails on Toll Lane Project Are Inappropriate PR Documents - Maryland Matters, 4/22/22
- Opinion | Maryland highway project isn’t a solution to our traffic problems - The Washington Post, 6/15/22
- Opinion: Plans to Privatize Maryland’s Highways with Toll Lanes are Not in the Public Interest - Maryland Matters, 7/14/22
MEDIA COVERAGE
Elrich urges U.S. DOT to delay decision on toll lanes; Traffic expert slams state study
7/25/22 - Maryland Matters - Toll Lanes
The Sierra Club and other opponents of the toll lanes plan expressed anger at MDOT’s decision to “password protect” the FEIS, a move that makes it impossible for citizens and journalists to copy and paste portions of the document.
Toll Lanes Critic Accuses MDOT of 'Scientific Fraud' in Key Report
7/12/22 - Maryland Matters - Toll Lanes
In a June 30 letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Sierra Club and several dozen other organizations pressed for 60 additional days to review the voluminous FEIS. “It is simply not possible to meaningfully review much less comment on four encyclopedia sets worth of information over 18 work days in a 30-day availability period,” they wrote.
Maryland election could decide fate of Beltway, I-270 toll lanes
7/1/22 - Washington Post - Toll Lanes
Anti-toll lanes activists would have five months after the project receives federal environmental approval to challenge it in court. The Maryland Sierra Club has said it’s considering a lawsuit. State officials have said they expect federal approval later this summer.
After years-long review process, final report on I-495/I-270 widening project is released
6/18/22 - Bethesda Beat - Toll Lanes
Meanwhile, the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter said in a press release that it is “currently raising funds for the legal work to fight the project.” Said Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club: “Over the next 30 days, we will be looking closely at how this report addresses our previous comments, submitted on behalf of over 50 groups and the city of Rockville. We continue to urge the Hogan administration and elected leaders to reject this fundamentally flawed plan and instead work towards equitable and sustainable multimodal transportation solutions that address congestion and tackle the climate crisis instead of perpetuating it.”
Maryland says it could curb environmental effects of Beltway, I-270 toll lanes
6/17/22 - The Washington Post - Toll Lanes
Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club, said Friday the group is “raising money to support several legal strategies” and is hiring a legal team and experts to review the study before it may be approved. “Should we find the FEIS to violate the law,” Tulkin said, “we want to have sufficient funds to pursue litigation.”
Montgomery County Judge Rules Against The MDOT In Toll Lanes Lawsuit
4/6/22 - The Moco Student - Toll Lanes
“It would be an environmental disaster because of all the air and water pollution that would be generated by the additional number of cars on the expanded highway,” Sierra Club of Maryland Transportation Chair Brian Ditzler said via email.
New Hogan-Aligned Group Seeks to Build Support for Toll Lanes Project
12/27/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
Josh Tulkin, head of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club, rejected Mayer’s claim that toll lanes opponents are being “political.” “The opposition to this project is based on specific environmental and economic concerns,” he said. “That opposition would be as strong regardless of who was advancing this project. One need only look at the similar level of opposition of groups to the ICC under [Gov. Martin] O’Malley (D).” Opponents of the project — led by the Sierra Club — have prepared a heavily-footnoted 183-page report with federal highway officials that foreshadows arguments likely to be made in a future lawsuit.
Comment Period Extended After Enviro Group Flags Errors on Highway Project
11/14/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
Josh Tulkin, the director of the Sierra Club Maryland Chapter, said he assumed the group’s discovery of the errors led to the extension of the comment period. “The timing is conspicuous,” he said. Noting that the extension came less than 24 hours from the release of their letter, “it’s hard not to see a connection.”
Opinion: Toll lanes on I-495 east of I-270 were put on hold, but remain in overall plan
11/1/21 - Bethesda Magazine - Transportation
MDOT’s bait-and-switch techniques and mixed messages have confused both people and agencies, yet these matters have wide-reaching implications for the region. The 30-mile segment of I-495 east of I-270 is not in the first phase of the project, but remains in the overall toll lane plan.
Capital Beltway widening project gets green light – for now, Split board approves $54 million design contract over fiscal, environmental and climate objections
8/12/21 - Bay Journal - Transportation / Climate Change
Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club, called the board’s action “unconscionable,” especially in the wake of the U.N. report. “Climate change must be central to all of our transportation and infrastructure planning,” he said in a statement after the vote. “On that mark our leaders failed us today.”
Board of Public Works Advances Hogan's Traffic Congestion Relief Plan
8/11/21 - Maryland Reporter - Transportation
Kopp noted that she ... simply wanted to have the necessary information before casting a vote on the proposal. ... Maryland Sierra Club Director Josh Tulkin was more blunt. “If you don’t start with the right questions, you won’t get the right answers.”
Maryland Officials Approve Agreement With Private Partner For Toll Lane Project On Beltway, I-270
8/11/21 - DCist - Transportation / Climate Change
“The project would harm our communities, the climate, and our wallets and still not alleviate congestion for most drivers,” the Sierra Club said on Facebook.
Board of Public Works votes to advance Capital Beltway project
8/11/21 - WDVM TV / DCW 50 - Transportation / Climate Change
The Maryland Sierra Club says it’s especially unconscionable to green light this massive highway expansion the same week that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change called a code red. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and other local leaders have also been vocal about their opposition to the expansion and its use of taxpayer dollars.
Beltway toll lane project goes for vote
8/10/21 - WTOP.com - Transportation / Climate Change
Elrich will join opponents of the plan at a news conference before the board’s 10 a.m. meeting. Rockville Mayor Bridget Newton and Del. Jared Solomon will speak at the news conference, along with representatives of the Maryland Sierra Club, the Coalition for Smarter Growth and Citizens Against Beltway Expansion.
Maryland needs more info on toll lane contract; vote must be delayed | COMMENTARY
8/9/21 - Baltimore Sun - Transportation / Climate Change
With so much a stake and very serious questions about the contract unanswered, this is not a moment for hope but for action. The Maryland Constitution gives the comptroller “general superintendence of the fiscal affairs of the State.” Mr. Franchot must use his leverage as comptroller and as the deciding vote on this project to delay the vote on the contract and demand needed oversight.
TPB Reverses Previous Decision On I-270/Capital Beltway Toll Project
7/21/21 - WFMD - Transportation
The project also generated some opposition. A day before the vote, Josh Tulkin, the President of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club, spoke to the Frederick County Council, urging the county’s TPB representative to vote against the project.
Regional Board Reverses Vote, Approves Controversial Toll Lanes For Beltway And I-270 In Maryland
7/21/21 - DCist - Transportation
“Last month, the TPB voted on principle when it removed Hogan’s highway boondoggle from its long-range plan,” said Josh Tulkin of the Maryland Sierra Club. “Today, the project was reinstated, not because of its merit, but through coercion. MDOT and Hogan utilized a Trump-esque playbook, including aggressive governor PAC attack ads, threats, and coercion, including bribes from MDOT and removal of TPB members.”
Treasurer’s complaints about study funding latest dustup in $6B interstate project
7/20/21 - The Daily Record - Transportation
Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club, said the incomplete review should raise questions for Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot, who, together with Hogan, make up the three-person board . “With a project of this magnitude, with the lessons and mistakes from the Purple Line, one would expect the Treasurer to be granted the resources to do a full analysis,” said Tulkin. “That she was not able to complete the financial review, representing both treasurer and comptroller, is disturbing. The state’s two fiscal watchdogs cannot allow a $6 billion dollar contract to go forward without full review.”
Md. Sierra Club: Planning Board Should Continue to Reject Hogan Toll Lane Project
7/20/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
Opinion article written by Josh Tulkin. "Gov. Larry Hogan and highway industry lobbyists have launched a massive campaign of intimidation and misinformation to pressure local governments into reinstating private toll lanes on Interstate 270 and the Capital Beltway in the region’s long-range plan. ... Private toll lanes deliver the big profits for the toll road companies and investors, not the transportation that is best for the public. In this case, that means guaranteed congestion for the vast majority of drivers in the untolled lanes, traffic jams so bad that people will pay the high tolls that investors demand." Click link for full article.
Re-vote For I-270 And Capital Beltway Toll Road Set For Wednesday
7/20/21 - WFMD - Transportation
During the public comment portion of Tuesday’s Frederick County Council Meeting, Josh Tulkin, president of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club, called in to give his view of the I-270 and Capital Beltway expansion vote. “The expansion on the scale that this project is calling for would undo all of the other significant advances that we have made in reducing transportation pollution and would have significant land use effect.” Josh Tulkin is skeptical as he said, “There’s been no documentation showing that it’s actually a financial improvement to be using toll revenue process with a private investor rather than actually having the state fund the project itself.”
Politicians, Activists Rally Against Road Widening Before Crucial Vote Wednesday
7/20/21 - My MCM - Transportation
Also speaking at the rally were Josh Tulkin of the Sierra Cub, Barbara Coufal of Citizens Against Beltway Expansion, and Nancy Soreng of League of Women Voters.
State Roundup: Opinion: Toll Plan Means Congestion for Most
7/20/21 - Maryland Reporter - Transportation
OPINION: TOLL PLAN MEANS CONGESTION FOR MOST: Josh Tulkin of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club opines in Maryland Matters that private toll lanes deliver the big profits for the toll road companies and investors, not the transportation that is best for the public. In this case, that means guaranteed congestion for the vast majority of drivers in the untolled lanes, traffic jams so bad that people will pay the high tolls that investors demand.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich Joins State and Local Leaders, Community Advocates in Demanding Improvements to State’s I-495/I-270 Managed Lane Plan
7/20/21 - Montgomery County Government - Transportation / Climate Change
Josh Tulkin, Maryland State director of the Sierra Club, said: "Climate change is causing record heat waves that are killing people and wildlife, causing record forest fires and droughts, record flooding and sea-level rise. Yet, our governor and too many local officials are turning a blind eye. New highway lanes induce more driving, which brings more pollution and climate emissions. It is a fact. This project will put us in the wrong direction."
Capital Beltway toll rates draw scrutiny from residents and elected officials
7/15/21 - Land Line Media - Transportation
Representing the Maryland state chapter of the Sierra Club, Brian Ditzler referred to the high price a trucker could pay for a relatively short trip. He also debunked the claim that Maryland taxpayers will not foot the bill as the majority of those paying the tolls will be Maryland motorists. Furthermore, Ditzler claimed that the private sector toll operator has an incentive to keep congestion high on general-use lanes to incentivize people to pay the high toll rate. Ditzler argued that the high toll rates will further increase inequities for certain minority populations.
Hogan-Backed PAC Blames Montgomery Leaders for Impasse Over Toll Lanes
7/3/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
The ads also earned a rebuke from the Sierra Club, which accused Hogan of using them for “cover.” According to Change Maryland’s Facebook advertising, “The Sierra Club and other leading environmental experts say that traffic is contributing to climate change,” and that Hogan’s plan would “clean up our air” and “fix” Montgomery’s traffic “crisis.” Hogan “is trying to use Sierra Club’s name to push his highway boondoggle, which we vehemently oppose, ” the organization said on Twitter on Friday. “The ad is simply false & Gov. Hogan knows it.”
Toll lanes project review held in shadow of Purple Line’s woes
6/29/21 - The Daily Record - Transportation
“This P3 contract is not an advantageous deal for Maryland taxpayers,” said Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club, said of the proposal to add toll lanes. “It’s not ready for prime time.” Tulkin’s group and others expressed concerns about the environment as well as the costs of the multibillion-dollar project, many of which are still being worked out. “I think from the Purple Line we’ve learned that the fine text is very very important,” Tulkin told a panel of lawmakers as part of a public hearing to review the project.
Maryland scales back planned widening of Capital Beltway, Environm entalists, some local officials still critical of project
6/24/21 - The Southern Maryland Chronicle - Transportation
Critics remain unswayed by MDOT’s move. Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club, said that while the proposed project is smaller, its original flaws remain. "The planned toll lanes will still harm communities, increase rather than decrease traffic congestion, and will not solve the environmental justice problems with this project,” he tweeted.
Regional Transportation Board Vote May Quash Hopes For Maryland To ll Lane Project On I-495/I-270
6/16/21 - DCist - Transportation
“This (vote) reinforces that Gov. Hogan’s Beltway/I-270 proposal is bad for the climate and doesn’t have the support it needs to move for ward,” Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club said. “We must pull the plug on this project and go back to the drawing board to plan for a sustainable, equitable transportation future that actually addresses congestion.”
Maryland scales back planned widening of Capital Beltway; Environmentalists, some local officials still critical of project
6/8/21 - Bay Journal - Transportation
Critics remain unswayed by MDOT’s move. Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club, said that while the proposed project is smaller, its original flaws remain. "The planned toll lanes will still harm communities, increase rather than decrease traffic congestion, and will not solve the environmental justice problems with this project,” he tweeted.
Maryland Transportation Authority Set to Vote on D.C.-Area Toll Lane Plan
6/8/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
“The Hogan Administration is cutting corners by putting the private toll lanes contract up for a vote prematurely. Maryland can not afford to start sealing the deal on a multibillion-dollar project that poses such significant, long-term risks to our communities, climate, and public lands,” said Josh Tulkin, director of Maryland Sierra Club.
Citizens Demand "Stop the P3 Toll Lane Boondoggle" As Virginia's Secret Contract with Toll Company Is Revealed
6/8/21 - Maryland Transit Opportunities Coalition - Transportation
“The Hogan Administration is cutting corners by putting the private toll lanes contract up for a vote prematurely. Maryland can not afford to start sealing the deal on a multibillion dollar project that poses such significant, long-term risks to our communities, climate, and public lands,” said Josh Tulkin, Director of Maryland Sierra Club.
Maryland’s Transit Authority Grants Preliminary Approval To Amended Beltway Project
6/8/21 - DCist - Transportation
Josh Tulkin, president of Maryland’s Sierra Club, agreed and requested that the vote by the board be delayed until the final environmental impact statement or “at least the release of the supplemental draft environmental impact statement with comments made by the public and responded to by the agencies.” Tulkin said because the project changed in the past few months it requires a new traffic assessment, air pollution reviews, and water and stormwater impact reports. “We’ve seen numerous false starts on this project,” Tulkin said. “This project, at this point, does not deserve a leap of faith where we’re putting the cart before the horse. ”
Cemetery Near Controversial Road Project is Among Nation’s ‘Most Endangered’
6/3/21 - Maryland Matters - N/A
The Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club applauded the National Trust’s decision to list the cemetery on its list of endangered historical sites. “The over-120-year-old Morningstar cemetery and hall site has gone from being unmarked on Maryland Department of Transportation maps for the proposed I-495 & I-270 toll lane expansion project to inspiring community group, county, and congressional support and even state bills,” the organization said in a statement. “And now it is being given national importance as one of America’s 11 most endangered historic places.”
Hogan Vetoes Target Transit Spending, Collective Bargaining, COVID Oversight and More
5/28/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
“Gov. Hogan is out of step with what Marylanders in the 21st century need,” said Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club. “This legislation would help Marylanders have better access to safe and reliable transit and reduce climate pollution. We call on the General Assembly to override his veto as soon as they are in session.”
Open Letter to Comptroller About Toll Lane Expansion
5/6/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
The many hidden costs of this project will fall on all Maryland taxpayers for 50+ years, not just taxpayers in Montgomery, Frederick and Prince George’s counties. These costs include relocation costs for 70 miles of water and sewer pipes, which the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission estimated at up to $2 billion, the costs of other utility relocations, a project subsidy of an estimated $482 million (according to the DEIS), and the ongoing future costs associated with 30 compensation and relief events listed in the P3 agreement term sheet (pages 13-16).
Md. Sierra Club: Will the Senate Co-Own Hogan’s Highway Boondoggle?
4/9/21 - Maryland Matters - Transportation
The Sierra Club, in collaboration with over 50 environmental, civic associations, civil rights and transportation advocates, drafted over 200 pages of expert comments in response to the DEIS.
Plan to widen congested Capital Beltway fuels fierce debate
4/6/21 - Bay Journal - Transportation
Our analysis shows that Governor Hogan’s highway boondoggle will not solve congestion,” Maryland Sierra Club Director Josh Tulkin said last November, shortly after the s tate released its draft environmental impact study. Instead, he said, “it will be a disaster for our climate and health and cause further harm to communities already impact ed by environmental injustices.
Bill to Curb “Broken Promises” on MD Plan to Widen Beltway, I-270
2/25/21 - Public News Service - Tranpsortation
Lindsey Mendelson, transportation representative for the Maryland Sierra Club, said the bill is also important because state officials are fast-tracking the deal. Just last week, she noted, MDOT chose two companies to develop the project, even though it pledged an environmental review had to be completed first. "Gov. Hogan's plan has shaken the public's confidence in our government," Mendelson argued. "And the state has kept local government agencies and the public in the dark when it comes to traffic data, toll-revenue projections and the decision-making process altogether. That is unacceptable."
‘We want to know what we’re buying’: Environmental critics tout bills for oversight of Beltway-270 toll lanes plan
2/24/21 - WTOP.com - Transportation
“The bills that we are discussing today will not stop the project, but they will help to bring about some much-needed reform to restore public confidence in our government, promote transparency, and make sure that our tax dollars are invested wisely,” said Lindsey Mendelson of the Maryland Sierra Club, which sponsored the virtual rally.
Maryland selects Transurban, Macquarie to develop toll lanes for Beltway, I-270
2/18/21 - Washington Post - Transportation
“Rushing is the opposite of what is needed on such a risky, complex and enormous project surrounding our nation’s capital that is going to be led by and concessioned to a private company for 50 years,” said Josh Tulkin, director of Maryland Sierra Club.
Opinion: State’s Economy, Environment and Equity Depend on Transit
12/23/2020 - Maryland Matters - Sierra Club
Equity for all Marylanders: The burdens of an unreliable public transit system fall hardest on low-income communities, communities of color, people with disabilities and others without access to a vehicle.
50-year-old Maryland power plant to stop burning coal in 2027
12/22/2020 - Baltimore Sun & Capital Gazette - Beyond Coal
“The state came into 2020 with six coal-fired power plants without clear end dates for their operations when it comes to burning coal,” said David Smedick, senior campaign representative of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. “Throughout this year, we’ve had five of the six power plants now very publicly announced their intention to retire.”
A Major Energy Operator in Md. Plans to Retire All Its Coal Plants by 2027
12/21/2020 - Maryland Matters - Beyond Coal
“In the coming years, we will keep working to hold GenOn accountable for its pollution from the Morgantown facility while pushing for more local investment in clean energy solutions. GenOn’s support for coal transition legislation in 2021 creates important momentum leading into an unprecedented Maryland legislative session,” David Smedick, the senior campaign representative of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, said in a statement.
Opinion: Housing near transit can help people afford to live in county
12/19/2020 - Washington Post - Clean Transportation
Opinion: Housing near transit can help people afford to live in county: Look beyond cars as the main way to get around by Gail Landy - "Council Member Will Jawando proposed a zoning text amendment that prioritizes affordable housing by incorporating development of high-density dwellings, thereby reducing the medium income required for a county residence."
D.C. Transit System Cuts Seen as Catastrophic for Climate, Workers
12/4/2020 - Public News Service - Clean Transportation
Lindsey Mendelson, clean transportation representative for the Sierra Club's Maryland chapter pointed out the cuts would dramatically increase pollution with more people driving, and poses a serious public health risk during the pandemic. "We've seen health experts say that exposure to air pollution is associated with higher death rates from COVID-19," Mendelson observed. "And so not only would this be a disaster for climate pollution and pollution in general, but this also is not good news in a public heal th crisis either." Mendelson contended the unprecedented service reductions would put nearly a third of Metro staff jobs on the line. She added they also would create severe hardships for essential and off-hours employees who rely on public transportation to get to work. "It would also impede the economic recovery because people would have less ability to travel, to go to restaurants, shopping," Mendelson asserted. "And once jobs come back, it would also be harder for people to work because if they can't get to their jobs, they can't work." Mendelson suggested the trend could push Congress to step up with stimulus funding to save public transportation during this economic crisis.
Possible legal challenges pose cost risks for Maryland toll lanes proposal
11/29/2020 - Washington Post - Clean Transportation/495-270
The Sierra Club’s Maryland chapter said it plans to sue if the state doesn’t address its concerns with the environmental analysis. In 207 pages of comments, the Sierra Club and about 50 other environmental and civic groups said the state hasn’t adequately assessed the highway widening’s effects on parkland, air and water quality, and histo rical sites, among other problems. “If the agencies decide to move forward, and the flaws are not addressed, we anticipate challenging that decision,” said Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club.
Md. business groups cheer Beltway-widening plan; former Gov. Glendening calls approach ‘nonsense’
11/11/2020 - WTOP - Clean Transportation/495-270
The Maryland Sierra Club and 50 other environmental and civic organizations released a 200-page scientific and legal analysis on Tuesday that laid out what the groups claim to be numerous deficiencies with the state’s approach. The groups called on MDOT to start over, with a process more geared toward reducing traffic, protecting the envir onment and safeguarding public health.
Opponents to Hogan’s supersized Beltway are scrambling to read 18,000 pages
8/18/2020 - Washington Post - Clean Transportation
Rodolfo Pérez, a civil engineer retired from the federal government, is among the volunteers helping the Maryland Sierra Club make sense of the 18,000-page draft environ mental impact statement for Gov. Hogan's proposed Beltway and I-270 toll-lane project. The Washington area is full of smart people such as Pérez, citizens who don’t mind rolling up their sleeves and applying some of their expertise. Lindsey Mendelson at the Maryland Sierra Club told me 128 people signed up to review various parts of the DEIS. Pérez is among about 20 who are working on an in-depth analysis.
Concerned with Beltway Expansion, Activists Request More Time to Review Environmental Report
7/17/2020 - Montgomery Community Media - Clean Transportation/495-270
“The Sierra Club and other organizations have been denied, delayed or charged $300,000 for public information requests that would have shed more light on this project,” said Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club. “We need more time to comment on this controversial proposal.”
Maryland releases environmental impact statement on widening I-495 and I-270
7/13/2020 - WDVM - Clean Transportation
Lindsey Mendelson of the Maryland Sierra Club stated, “We really need to focus on investments that create the co-benefits of protecting public health, creating more jobs and addressing historic inequities and this project would do the opposite.”
Maryland Publishes 18,000-page Environmental Impact Assessment Of Proposed I-270 And I-495 Expansion
7/10/2020 - DCist - Clean Transportation/495-270
Lindsey Mendelson, of the Maryland chapter of the Sierra Club, agrees. “We have to look at everything in terms of a whole system, including public transit, including land use, how people are walking around and getting from their homes to grocery stores to essential jobs,” she says.
Hearings will offer chance for feedback on plan for I-270/495 toll lanes
7/10/2020 - Frederick News Post - Clean Transportation/495-270
“The Draft Environmental Impact Statement weighs 90 pounds. That alone indicates that this project warrants intense scrutiny,” Josh Tulkin, director of the Maryland Sierra Club, said in a statement. “We are concerned that this massive highway project will exacerbate harm to our health and environment.”