Obama’s Plan to Increase Transportation Investments also is Good for Climate
WASHINGTON (February 4, 2016) -- President Obama in his budget proposal next week will propose increased U.S. investments in public transit, high-speed rail and a new generation of energy-efficient cars, trucks and aircraft, to be paid for with a $10-per-barrel fee on oil that would be phased in over five years, the White House announced Thursday.
The following is a statement by Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“This is the right move at the right moment. It’s the appropriate next step in moving America beyond the dirty fossil fuels that are driving climate change. And it moves us toward cleaner, smarter ways to transport our people and goods far into the future – without putting the planet in peril.
“With this action, President Obama is advancing the mission our country and nearly 200 others agreed to last year in Paris. It connects the rising economic, social and environmental costs of burning oil to the vast opportunities for American innovation, enterprise and progress. And it sends a message to future generations: We’re not stuck with oil and all the hazard and harm it brings - and neither are our kids.’’