Lauren Lantry (202) 548-6599 lauren.lantry@sierraclub.org
Brooklyn, NY -- After the New York MTA announced the plan to purchase 200 diesel buses to mitigate the closure of the L train, the Sierra Club released a letter to Governor Cuomo and the CEO of the NYMTA signed by 100 Brooklyn businesses in support of clean, quiet, zero-emission buses for Brooklyn and throughout the MTA service territory. Hurricane Sandy, fueled by climate disruption, cost 48 New Yorkers their lives, New York businesses billions in damages and lost revenue, and the closure of the L Train. Quieter and cleaner than diesel buses, zero-emission buses promote commerce in Brooklyn. By reducing climate and noise pollution, zero emission buses save Brooklyn businesses money by reducing healthcare costs and lost work days, and by making streets quieter and more liveable.
The letter asks Governor Cuomo and the MTA to commit to adding at least 200 more Zero Emission Buses and significantly increase electric non-revenue fleet cars by 2019, and commit to all zero emission transit bus purchases by 2030.
"The MTA's decision to retreat to diesel is a depressing and an antiquated move. Hurricane Sandy, which damaged our beloved L train, was a product of human dependency on fossil fuels. Isn't it bitterly ironic that we are resorting to diesel, the same poison that caused this problem in the first place? We need to pivot to the future for our children's sake. #actLOCALLY #actNOW " said Darren Aronofsky, Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Sierra Club Foundation board member, and Brooklyn business owner.
MTA’s diesel bus announcement coincides with the announcement of a pilot program for ten electric buses across the city, which will begin a three-year test run starting in late 2017. Five of these buses will be in Brooklyn, but so far, they are not scheduled to cover the L Train route.
“For the health of our environment and our community, we need to leave diesel and natural gas buses behind and invest in a fleet of Zero Emission Buses. Along with making our families and neighbors sick, pollution from diesel buses adds to the climate disruption that helped fuel the hurricane that caused the shutdown of the L train,” said Kat Fisher, the Sierra Club’s New York Electric Vehicles Initiative Organizer. “We are well past the time for small pilot programs for zero emission buses. New York just announced a three-year pilot of five electric buses while cities like Seattle have already committed to more than 100 electric buses. We need shorter pilots and bigger commitments for cleaner transportation solutions.”
Zero Emission Buses will decrease the dangerous particulate pollution that makes employees sick, leading to lost work days and driving up insurance costs. Asthma costs New York employers, consumers, and taxpayers hundreds of millions each year through lost school and workdays, medical costs, and early deaths. According to the American Lung Association, New York City is among the 25 most polluted cities in the country. Increasing diesel bus traffic means more bad air days and more asthma for New Yorkers. More than 2 million people in the New York Metropolitan Area already have asthma, including nearly half a million children.
“It doesn’t make sense that we are going from an electric-powered subway to a diesel powered solution when the L train shuts down," said New York City Council Member Rafael Espinal. “At a time when studies are showing that carbon emissions are at an all-time high, it is disappointing to hear that the MTA is purchasing 200 diesel buses to replace the L train line. The UN has reported that cities produce 70% of carbon emissions; this would be a prime opportunity for the MTA to do what’s right-- not only for our local communities, but for the globe. I will continue to urge the MTA to make a switch to electric buses, especially in the era of the Trump administration, when local action is the only action being taken to address climate change.”
“There is no question that the L train will create many issues for small businesses and local residents. We already have buses congesting our streets and polluting the air. When the L train is shut down it will be tough knowing we have additional 200 diesel buses on our streets negatively impacting our air quality and affecting our local business district.” said Sean Rawlingson, owner of the Bedford Restaurant.
“It is extremely disappointing that the MTA decided to continue to pollute our neighborhoods by using 200 diesel buses for the L train shutdown. Instead of being leaders by using electric buses (which is a proven viable option), the MTA puts the health of the public last while pushing excuses that the test run hasn't been completed yet. The MTA needs to be leaders in transportation. After all, it is operating in the greatest city in the world but its decisions are not on par. As a Bronx resident residing in one of the counties in the U.S. with the highest rates of asthma, MTA's decision to use diesel buses is a clear sign that they do not care about the health of its customers.” said Karen Cornelio, Sierra Club Electric Bus Campaign Volunteer.
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.7 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, 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.