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Pro-environment legislators in Connecticut and Rhode Island push the public to support the Transportation and Climate Initiative

Much of the money from the TCI will go towards transportation initiatives, which in turn create jobs, tax revenue and some of the economic growth the state needs. It also adds a funding stream to the underfunded transportation fund.
Patrick Skahill
/
Connecticut Public Radio

Lawmakers in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts behind the multi-state Transportation and Climate Initiative want residents to rally support to pass the measure.

Meghan Kallman, a Rhode Island state senator, said public pressure is needed because TCI is a social and environmental justice issue.

“The resulting cuts in emissions would benefit everybody’s health, but particularly people who live in urban neighborhoods that often disproportionately host transportation infrastructure,” Kallman said.

She said lower emissions would improve health in densely populated urban centers with large populations of people of color, like in south Providence off of I-95.

Connecticut state Senator Will Haskell also said concerned residents should reach out to local lawmakers and ask them to support TCI.

“A handful of phone calls can make all the difference,” he said. “If a dozen constituents pick up the phone and reach us on our cell phones by the way, and say they’d like us to focus on environmental justice, on transportation, improved trains and rail, and buses, then all of a sudden we are going to see the tide turn in the legislatures.”

The Rhode Island Senate passed TCI last session, but it failed to win approval in the House. They hope to try again next session. Connecticut lawmakers are pushing to have it considered in a special session this fall. The governor of Massachusetts said he has the authority to enter the program under a 2008 state law.
Copyright 2021 WSHU. To see more, visit WSHU.

As WSHU Public Radio’s award-winning senior political reporter, Ebong Udoma draws on his extensive tenure to delve deep into state politics during a major election year. In addition to providing long-form reports and features for WSHU, he regularly contributes spot news to NPR, and has worked at the NPR National News Desk as part of NPR’s diversity initiative.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.