Investments​ ​must​ ​be​ ​coupled​ ​with​ ​strong​ ​mandates.​​ ​Subsidies​ ​and​ ​other​ ​incentives​ ​can play​ ​an​ ​important​ ​role​ ​in​ ​promoting​ ​emission​ ​reductions​ ​but​ ​must​ ​be​ ​accompanied​ ​by​ ​clear regulatory​ ​requirements​ ​and​ ​targets.

Investments​ ​should​ ​prioritize​ ​zero-emission​ ​technologies.​​ ​California​ ​should​ ​invest​ ​in zero​ ​emission​ ​vehicles,​ ​equipment,​ ​and​ ​supporting​ ​infrastructure​ ​at​ ​goods movement ​hubs​ ​and along​ ​freight​ ​corridors.​ ​Combustion​ ​technologies,​ ​including​ ​natural​ ​gas​ ​and​ ​renewable​ ​natural gas​-​powered​ ​vehicles,​ ​should​ ​not​ ​be​ ​eligible​ ​for​ ​incentive​ ​funding.

​​Investments​ ​should​ ​prioritize​ ​technologies​ ​that​ ​have​ ​the highest​ ​criteria,​ ​toxic​ ​and greenhouse​ ​gas​ ​reduction​ ​outcomes.​ ​​Particularly​ ​when​ ​funded​ ​through​ ​climate​ ​investments, California​ ​must​ ​ensure​ that ​our​ ​investments​ ​result​ ​not​ ​only​ ​in​ ​reduced​ ​criteria​ ​and​ ​toxic​ ​air emissions,​ ​but​ ​also​ ​reduced​ ​greenhouse​ ​gases.

Investments​ ​must​ ​avoid​ ​creating​ ​new​ ​burdens.​​ ​California​ ​must​ ​carefully​ ​assess​ ​any unintended​ ​negative​ ​consequences​ ​of​ ​our​ ​climate​ ​investments​ ​and​ ​ensure​ that ​they​ ​do​ ​not​ ​cause any​ ​burdens​ ​in​ ​the​ ​very​ ​communities​ ​they​ ​are​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​help.​ ​Potential​ ​negative​ ​impacts​ ​include physical or economic displacement, harms or barriers for vulnerable workers, and localized​ ​air​ ​quality​ ​impacts​.

Investments​ ​should​ ​prioritize​ ​community-led​ ​transportation​ ​solutions.​​ ​Residents​ ​of​ ​the most​ ​impacted​ ​communities​ ​are​ ​developing​ ​and​ ​piloting​ ​innovative​ ​new​ ​transportation​ ​solutions to​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​and​ ​issues​ ​in​ ​their​ ​communities.​ ​Investments​ ​should​ ​prioritize​ ​solutions developed​ ​through​ ​long-term​ ​community​ ​engagement.

Investments​ ​should​ ​help​ ​increase​ ​clean​ ​transportation​ ​access​ ​and​ affordability and ​reduce​ barriers​ ​to​ ​adoption and use.​​ ​This​ ​includes​ ​ensuring​ access to ​affordable​, reliable clean​ ​vehicles, public transit, and other mobility​ ​options.​ ​

Investments​ ​must​ ​address​ ​the​ ​mobile​ ​source​ ​magnets​ ​in​ ​communities.​​ ​Many environmental​ ​justice​ ​communities​ ​experience​ ​the​ ​congregation​ ​of​ ​thousands​ ​of​ ​vehicles​ ​and diesel​ ​trucks​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time​ ​with​ ​devastating​ ​health​ ​consequences.​ ​California​ ​must​ ​adopt​ ​indirect source​ ​regulations​ ​to​ ​clean​ ​up​ ​toxic​ ​freight​ ​facilities​ ​and​​ ​use​ ​investments​ ​to​ ​help​ ​these facilities​ ​meet​ ​those​ ​requirements.

Investments must address and seek to correct existing economic inequities in communities and among workers. Our state’s use of public dollars, particularly climate investments, must ensure and promote high quality jobs and workforce development and access to such opportunities for disadvantaged workers and those with barriers to employment.

Filed under: Featured by Isa Flores-Jones