Environmental Defense Fund Applauds State Assembly Speaker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact:

John Bianchi/Bennett Kleinberg, 212-576-2700

[email protected]

[email protected]


(New York, NY – February 26, 2009) Environmental Defense Fund applauds New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s proposed compromise to rescue the MTA and prevent drastic rate hikes and service cuts.  Speaker Silver is recommending that tolls on the East and Harlem River bridges be limited to $2, equaling the fare for subway and bus service and minimizing the potential fare hikes and service cuts currently under consideration, according to published reports.
 
“We applaud Speaker Silver and the State Assembly for demonstrating leadership by proposing a compromise, focused on solving the immediate crisis, that fairly shares the burden of paying for the lifeblood of the city — mass transit — among everyone in the New York metro region,” said Andy Darrell, vice president for Living Cities at Environmental Defense Fund and a member of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Sustainability Advisory Board.
 
“The positive environmental impact of mass transit in the region — reducing air and global warming pollution as well our dependence on foreign oil — cannot be overemphasized,” added Darrell. “This compromise, while painful for everyone, is really the only alternative that makes sense for drivers and riders alike. It is an important step towards a city with less traffic and cleaner air.  We enthusiastically support Speaker Silver’s proposal and urge members of the State Legislature to rally behind it.”
 

With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org