California Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order that tasked state agencies to come up with a plan to improve the state’s $700 billion dollar freight system while reducing emissions.
California’s air quality rules have already reduced diesel soot by more than 50-percent in nine years. But air regulators say the current freight system needs to move to zero emission technologies.
California State Transportation Agency Secretary Bryan Kelly says the state must make smarter investments.
“We have to make sure that we’re making investments that make the entire system faster, cleaner and smarter," he says. "Not just widening a highway for the sake of moving more trucks, but trying to figure out 'is there a more comprehensive way that we can focus on freight corridors.'”
Three of the five largest ports in the nation are in California. A plan that establishes targets for improvements is due in July of 2016.
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