NW Valley Times

Under the leadership of Tucson Mayor Regina Romero to decarbonize the transportation sector as outlined in the City’s Climate Action Plan, the City of Tucson was awarded a $21,490,560 grant from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) to purchase 39 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to replace the remaining high emissions producing diesel-fuel buses in Sun Tran’s fleet. The switch will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,480 metric tons as the City works toward achieving carbon neutrality in City operations by 2030.

“The City of Tucson is leading the way in addressing climate change head-on,” said Mayor Romero. “I promised Tucsonans that I’d take clear action to create a clean and sustainable city, and with the support of our federal partners, I am doing just that. Decarbonizing the transit system will be a powerful victory for our community, bringing cleaner air and a brighter future for all Tucsonans.”

The positive environmental impacts of these new buses will extend beyond Tucson's borders, benefiting residents of the City of South Tucson, the Town of Marana, the City of South Tucson, the Town of Oro Valley, and Unincorporated Pima County, with access to Sun Tran's fixed routes.

"This grant represents a significant investment that will reduce our collective transit carbon footprint, improve air quality, and enhance the quality of life for Tucson residents who have faced social and economic inequities. These are the positive opportunities that arise when Democrats are at the helm of Congress, taking decisive actions to advance our climate goals and enable environmental justice in southern Arizona. I eagerly anticipate our ongoing collaboration with the City of Tucson as we champion climate action, resilience, and address the needs of historically underinvested communities," said U.S. Congressman Raúl Grijalva.

Sam Credio, Director of the City of Tucson's Department of Transportation and Mobility stated, "I would like to thank Mayor Romero for her continued leadership in our conversion to alternative fuel transit vehicles, and the Federal Transit Administration for their confidence in the City of Tucson to deliver on a grant of this magnitude. I am excited about the impact this will have on our community, especially those areas that have experienced historic disinvestment. Tucson has been a leader in converting our transit fleet to clean energy. Our team is well poised to deliver on this commitment to Climate Action."

The transportation sector accounts for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. With this grant, the City of Tucson Department of Transportation and Mobility will continue paving the way toward a more sustainable future.

Original source can be found here.