Diane Brown
Executive Director, Arizona PIRG
Executive Director, Arizona PIRG
Today, the Phoenix City Council unanimously approved a Transportation Electrification Action Plan[1] that was developed through an Ad Hoc Committee led by Councilwoman Ansari and City Staff. The passage of the Plan was lauded by consumer, clean energy, and public health organizations.
Diane E. Brown, Executive Director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG) stated, “By adopting the Transportation Electrification Action Plan, Phoenix is on the road to saving taxpayers money, while also improving air quality and public health.”
According to information[2] provided to the Council, members of the Ad Hoc Committee and Staff provided presentations on the Transportation Electrification Action Plan at 36 community meetings; received over 1,400 community survey responses; and received nearly 20,000 social media engagements. The information stated that “The majority of respondents were positive and supportive of the market transition to electric vehicles with the most frequently articulated reason being that electric vehicles are good for air quality and the environment. The reason most often stated to purchase an electric vehicle was to save money on current gas prices, and there was significant interest in possible incentives that the City, utilities, and the federal government could provide to encourage EV adoption.”
Caryn Potter, Arizona Representative of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) said, “As a member of the City of Phoenix’s Electric Vehicle Ad Hoc Committee, I am thrilled this plan has passed. The Transportation Electrification Action Plan will not only ensure that City operations are prepared for the electric vehicle transition but will expand EV charging access for all communities.”
JoAnna Strother, senior director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Arizona said, “The transportation sector is one of the leading contributors to unhealthy emissions which is why we need bold investments in transportation electrification. Air pollution harms everyone, but the impacts are especially harmful to the most vulnerable, including those with lung disease, children, older adults, lower income families and communities of color. We applaud the City of Phoenix for setting us on a path to cleaner, healthier air.”
Brown added that the components of the Plan provide a path towards necessary infrastructure and staffing and in her public comments urged the City to transition its fleet to electric as soon as possible to realize fuel and maintenance cost savings. She also encouraged the City to engage with other municipalities on opportunities that transcend City boundaries and with ADOT as they develop their plan for federal infrastructure funding.
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[1] https://www.phoenix.gov/cityclerksite/City%20Council%20Meeting%20Files/6-15-22%20Formal%20Agenda-FINAL.pdf – starting on page 393.
[2] https://www.phoenix.gov/cityclerksite/City%20Council%20Meeting%20Files/6-15-22%20Formal%20Agenda-FINAL.pdf – starting on page 360.