BEST calls on DEQ to do more to slow climate change

BEST joins other Oregon Climate Advocates in calling on the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to expand the transportation element of the draft Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) beyond support for electric vehicles (EVs).

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Department of Energy (ODOE) have developed a draft Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) as part of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) planning phase.

BEST joins other Oregon Climate Advocates (1000 Friends of Oregon, Central Oregon LandWatch, and 350 Salem) in calling on the Oregon Department of Environmental (DEQ) Quality to expand the transportation element of the draft Oregon’s Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) beyond support for electric vehicles (EVs).

Specifically, the PCAP should add priority actions including the following:

• Expand transit service, especially on routes that serve low and moderate income communities.
• Enable transit districts to provide free transit service or free passes, especially to low and moderate income communities and school-aged children.
• Fund walking and biking improvements in low income and disadvantaged communities, for example by increasing funding for Safe Routes to School projects.
• Support programs that provide paratransit, car-sharing and ride hailing services in low income communities and disadvantaged communities. like LA Metro’s “mobility wallet“ program funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
• Provide incentives for purchase of e-bikes.