"Transportation and climate change are critical to our success in the global marketplace -- and to our quality of life," Governor Kulongoski said. "We cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of thinking transportation and climate change are conflicting policy priorities. They're not. We can -- and must -- do both."
Addressing business leaders and members of the Oregon Environmental Council at a forum on business and the environment, entitled "Transportation and Sustainable Communities," the governor charged his transportation vision committee to approach the improvements needed to our transportation system with a climate change lens.
"Yes, we need more access points in our transportation system so trucks can more efficiently and safely move goods up and down I-5," the Governor continued. "But if our only answer is highway expansion and not a multi-modal solution, then we are taking a step backward on global warming -- and that is absolutely not acceptable to me."
Specifically, the governor asked his transportation committee to incorporate climate change into transportation planning in four areas: 1) low carbon fuels; 2) vehicle technology improvement, including the shift to plug-in and electric cars; 3) reducing the vehicle miles traveled; and 4) improving transportation system efficiency.
"Building and maintaining traditional transportation systems is a great challenge - building and maintaining sustainable systems presents an even greater one," the governor said. "But these are the Oregon challenges that we must answer."
Click here for the text of the governor's speech.
Click here for more information about the governor's transportation initiative.
Click here for more information about the governor's climate change initiative.
