Statement attributed to Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability

For the first time in our state’s history, our governor has called for transportation funding to align with state goals on climate and the environment, and to help people access modes of transportation that improve public health and reduce hazardous emissions. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-19-19 addresses the links between transportation investments, housing, and land use planning, and the need for an integrated approach to meet our goals. 

Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability supports this executive order because this is a real, serious step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which produces almost half of our state’s total emissions and contributes to poor air quality. 

However, we are disappointed in the governor’s decision to veto SB 127, which would have enacted the order and ensured that state roads that run through local communities are safe for everyone to walk, bike and use wheelchairs. To be clear, SB 127 would have encouraged more walking and biking and made it much safer to do so.

We urge bold leadership from Gov. Newsom and will hold state agencies accountable to implementing a comprehensive approach to address our state’s climate crisis that reduces our dependence on fossil fuels, encourages clean transportation options and invests in communities that are most impacted by climate change.