Policy Goal: Local Emissions Reductions

Transportation policies can greatly reduce local criteria air pollutant levels that lead to smog and increased danger from asthma, heart disease, and other health risks. In 2014, vehicles emitted 55 percent of all NOx pollution, but in areas that have already achieved important reductions from the electric sector, the transportation sector’s contribution level can be much higher.  Transportation is also responsible for about ten percent of nationwide fine particulate matter, and a much higher percentage of urban particulates.  For example, the California Air Resources Board observes that diesel particulate matter is responsible for about 70 percent of the total known cancer risk related to air toxics in California.  Since these emissions are often local in their effects, reducing transportation emissions can significantly improve the health and well-being of communities in urban areas or around transportation corridors, which are often low-income or otherwise vulnerable or disadvantaged communities.

A wide variety of state and local policies can be designed to reduce these emissions.  These policies could include: (1) reducing private vehicle use in favor of alternative forms of low or no-emitting transportation (public transit, for example, or walking and biking); (2) encouraging the use of EVs, which do not contribute to local air pollution through tailpipe emissions; or (3) reducing traffic and in-city emissions through congestion or idling reduction policies.  For example, Paris and Mexico City have committed to eliminate all diesel vehicles by 2025 in order to improve local air quality.  Washington State is taking a broad, programmatic approach, using the opportunity through funds received in the Volkswagen Settlement to “make transformative improvements across Washington’s transportation sector…by investing in advanced zero emission technologies and prioritizing publicly owned transportation fleets” with the goal of substantially reducing public exposure to transportation-related NOx and particulate emissions.  Actions included in the state’s plan include investments in electric buses and ferries and deployment of EV charging infrastructure.