On Wednesday, Governor Brown, Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon released a plan for spending $900 million in Cap-and-Trade funds on programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide multiple cobenefits especially to disadvantaged communities. For the first time, the expenditure plan includes funding for the state Active Transportation Program (ATP), bolstering the Program by $10 million to deliver even more projects that create safe walking and bicycling infrastructure in neighborhoods across the state.
“Transportation is the greatest contributor to climate change and there is huge potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by providing more safe and attractive opportunities for Californians to walk and bike rather than driving,” said Jeanie Ward Waller, Policy Director for the California Bicycle Coalition. “Investing Cap and Trade funds in more projects through the ATP is an effective way to provide more of those opportunities in the short term.”
“Fighting climate change through these investments, while creating opportunities for residents to be
more physically active through walking and biking is a winwin for the health and wellbeing of future
generations of Californians,” said Wendy Alfsen, Executive Director for California Walks.
The ATP is the state’s only dedicated funding source for walking and bicycling projects and educational
programs like Safe Routes to School, and existing funds have been in very high demand by local
communities. Each of the last three years communities have applied for roughly four times more
funding than the state has made available.
“Since 2013, over 80 percent of ATP grant dollars have gone to projects in disadvantaged communities
that provide healthy, affordable, and nonpolluting transportation options to lowincome individuals and
families,” said Kula Koenig, Government Relations for the American Heart Association. “We are excited
to see more of those projects on the ground in the coming years.”
“We appreciate the recognition by legislative leaders and Governor Brown that walking and bicycling
projects are critical components of a clean transportation system and a valuable climate investment,”
said Joshua Stark, State Policy Director for TransForm. “This landmark additional investment will have
the greatest impact in communities most burdened by poor air quality and unsafe streets, and that are
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