Sacramento, Calif. – Today, Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D- Long Beach) introduced SB 671 to create a Clean Freight Corridor Efficiency Program to advance heavy-duty clean vehicle goals and ensure the development of supporting highway infrastructure. The program would require the California Transportation Commission (CTC) and the Air and Resources Board (ARB) to conduct a comprehensive analysis of key factors needed to build clean freight corridors, such as, road safety, alternative fueling infrastructure and road resiliency. Guidelines, best practices and data obtained through these assessments will be used to inform future and continued planning of clean freight.

Freight is a critical part of California’s economy with millions of tons of goods moving along highways every year. The large movement of heavy and medium-duty trucks accounts for over 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the state, creating a strong need for cleaner freight corridors. 

“The health risk associated with emissions from the high truck volumes on our transportation corridors is too great. We must do all we can to protect the health of our community and the quality of the air we breathe,” said Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). “Many of the families in my district who live near the I-710 freeway are already heavily burdened by pollution and suffer disproportionately from higher rates of chronic diseases. Cleaner freight corridors are not just an option, they are the right thing to do, and we need to create a well-informed, robust program to guide us and to make sure we can build the infrastructure that we need to get us there. That is what the Clean Freight Corridor Efficiency Program will do.”   

###

Senator Gonzalez represents the 33rd Senate District, which includes the City of Long Beach and portions of South Los Angeles and South East Los Angeles including the cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Lakewood, Lynwood, Maywood, Paramount, Signal Hill, and South Gate. Senator Gonzalez lives in Long Beach with her family.