“Our climate and our health require us to switch from gas-burning cars to clean electric,” said Amy Laura Cahn, Director of CLF’s Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice program and a member of the Massachusetts Zero Emission Vehicle Commission. “The rebate clearly works, and we need more resources, not fewer at this critical time for our climate. We hope to see a short-term funding fix soon, but the State House and Baker Administration must commit to long-term and large-scale investments to keep this popular rebate in place.”
Sep 30
2019
2019
Sep 13
2019
2019
New Englanders Hit the Road for Drive Electric Week
It’s that time of year again—National Drive Electric Week! Every year, people across the nation celebrate the benefits of electric vehicles and showcase their cars during events throughout the country. From not shelling out money at the gas pump to not spewing pollution, there’s a lot to celebrate. Pollution from transportation, including the cars and trucks we drive every day, is the leading cause of climate-damaging emissions in New England. If we want to tackle the climate crisis, we have to fight for cleaner cars and a cleaner transportation system overall.
Aug 6
2019
2019
Vermont Makes Slow Progress in Getting Electric Vehicles on the Road
Getting serious about tackling the climate crisis means getting around without burning fossil fuels. Unfortunately, most cars and trucks still run on gasoline, which pollutes both our air and our climate. In fact in New England, the exhaust from cars, trucks, and buses accounts for more than a third of our climate-damaging emissions. This needs to change. Vermont needs to put at least 50,000 electric cars and trucks on the road by 2025 to meet the goals set forth in the State’s energy plan. With only around 3,000 on the road right now, we are far from on track to get there.
Aug 1
2019
2019
Massachusetts Considers Bills to Slash Pollution from Cars, Trucks, and Buses
Air pollution poses a serious threat to our health, and the emissions from cars, trucks, and buses are some of the most dangerous. In Massachusetts, this pollution does not affect all communities equally.
Jun 24
2019
2019
Massachusetts to Cancel Popular Electric Vehicle Rebate in September
“Ending this rebate while the program is gaining such momentum is a huge lost opportunity,” said Amy Laura Cahn, Director of CLF’s Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice program and a member of the Massachusetts Zero Emission Vehicle Commission. “Gas-burning cars accelerate our climate crisis and pollute our neighborhoods, and the rebate program helps families make the switch to clean electric vehicles. Eliminating the program without providing alternatives takes away needed resources and threatens to set us back in reaching our climate goals.”
Mar 26
2019
2019
Home Energy Solutions: Saving on Gas with an Electric Car
CLF’ers Elena Mihaly and Tom Irwin show that an electric car is the perfect commuting solution for New Englanders.
Feb 6
2019
2019
Bills to Watch as Massachusetts Kicks off Legislative Session
CLF is focusing this session on five critical areas of groundbreaking, proactive legislation: cutting carbon pollution, boosting clean transportation, reducing plastic pollution in our environment, and preparing our cities and towns for climate change impacts. Learn more about the bills before the legislature and how you can get involved.
Jul 10
2018
2018
How Autonomous Vehicles Will Drive Our Budgets
Big changes are underway that will affect how Massachusetts residents get around. Companies are racing to bring autonomous vehicles to the market as quickly as possible. Self-driving vehicles are already on the streets in Boston’s Seaport District for testing purposes. We can expect them in more regular use as early as 2020 and widely available…
Jan 9
2018
2018
Massachusetts Hits the Accelerator on Clean Transportation
Massachusetts has long been a leader in promoting clean, climate-friendly electric cars and trucks. And now, the Commonwealth is taking another leap forward in ending our reliance on gas- and diesel-powered vehicles. A recent order from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities gives the green light to Eversource, the region’s largest energy company, to invest…
Dec 20
2017
2017
Bad Policy Could Crash the Achievements of Self-Driving Cars
There’s a consensus that self-driving cars are on the cusp of bringing about a transportation revolution that will address many environmental and societal challenges. However, it relies on a few critical assumptions about our future that are not guaranteed. The self-driving car industry paints a picture of blissful commutes, less pollution, and fewer accidents. But…