Natasha Blakely, natasha.blakely@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Jimmy Gomez reintroduced the Transit to Trails Act in the House and Senate.
The Transit to Trails Act promotes equitable access to parks and public lands and waters, and promotes reducing climate pollution by encouraging increased use of public transportation. The bill would create a grant program that directs funding to critically underserved communities to develop projects that help close the gaps in public transportation options that might prevent people from accessing green spaces.
Sierra Club representatives will be lobbying for this legislation alongside youth leaders and other Outdoors Alliance for Kids members next week at OAK Week, an upcoming youth environmental advocacy event in Washington, D.C.
In response, Jackie Ostfeld, Outdoors for All campaign director, released the following statement:
There is beautiful green space open to the public that many working-class communities and communities of color simply cannot reach because of transportation and accessibility issues. It’s a glaring oversight for underserved communities who also share the right to access our public lands and experience the physical and mental health benefits of time in nature. This bill will help break down some of the barriers that people face when trying to access the outdoors and ensure that public lands are for all the public.
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.