In the Face of a Trump Administration, Governor Hochul Can Advance New York’s Clean Air Goals
As the upcoming federal administration appears hostile to all environmental policies to clean our air, Governor Hochul must harness New York’s resources and market power to support life-saving regulations that tackle transportation pollution.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP)
After mounting pressure from advocates — including a recently resolved lawsuit filed by Earthjustice on behalf of Riders Alliance, Sierra Club, and New York City Environmental Justice Alliance — Governor Hochul agreed to move forward with the New York City Congestion Pricing Program, a critical policy that was signed into law in 2019. The program will fund public transportation improvements, clean up air pollution, reduce traffic, and will be essential for New York to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At its board meeting, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority shared that funds from the program will allow them to purchase 250 new battery electric buses and build out bus charging infrastructure — more than tripling New York City’s electric bus fleet and relieving pollution from dirty diesel buses.
This welcome decision and leadership from Governor Hochul collides with President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that he will appoint former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to run the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Zeldin is no stranger to attacking clean air policies. During his run against Hochul for Governor in 2021, Zeldin stated that he would block New York City’s congestion pricing plan.
Former U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin has been picked to lead the EPA by President-elect Donald Trump. (Matt Rourke / AP)
As a Representative in New York’s 1st District, Zeldin voted against every single effort to cut the state’s climate emissions. Zeldin has also stated that the EPA will take a strong pivot to support “energy dominance,” moving away from policies that reduce emissions in favor of promoting fossil fuels, as soon as Trump takes office.
In the face of a federal administration that appears hostile to all environmental policies that would clean up our air, Governor Hochul must harness New York’s resources and market power to support life-saving regulations that tackle transportation pollution.
Haze shrouds the skyline of Lower Manhattan as seen from the Empire State Building in New York City. (Gary Hershorn / Getty Images)
Electrifying dirty diesel trucks
We were heartened to see Governor Hochul join eight other governors in a letter supporting Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), a policy that would gradually transition New York away from polluting diesel trucks to all-electric zero-emissions options. Diesel trucks are a major contributor to the state’s air quality crisis, especially in places like the South Bronx, where over 15,000 trucks spew dangerous exhaust every single day. This pollution is associated with grave health harms including lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness, like asthma. It is imperative that Governor Hochul stays the course on this feasible regulation and follows through on the full implementation of the ACT program, an irreplaceable pillar of the state’s plan to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
Cars and trucks move along the Cross Bronx Expressway, a notorious stretch of highway in New York City that is often choked with traffic and contributes to pollution and poor air quality. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
Next, Gov. Hochul must move quickly to adopt the complementary Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation, a policy implemented by California in 2023 that shifts all diesel truck sales to zero-emissions by 2036. The regulation starts gradually, requiring large companies and government fleets to purchase zero emissions trucks, eventually ramping up to a 100% sales target.
Together, the ACT and ACF can help New York achieve its climate and clean air goals.
Cleaning up pollution from mega-warehouses
The rise in e-commerce and online shopping across New York has driven an unchecked warehousing boom that has delivered pollution to communities across the state. Unlike a coal or a gas plant, because warehouse pollution comes from multiple “indirect” sources like trucks and vans, they have gone unregulated. Legislators are considering a bill that addresses these loopholes. The Clean Deliveries Act (S.2127C/A.1718C) would direct the state to review emissions from warehouses and require warehouse operators to take steps to reduce pollution.
Regulators in Southern California have implemented a similar policy and the region is already seeing success. Since 2022, warehouse operators in the South Coast Air Basin have purchased 815 new zero-emissions trucks and installed 172 new truck charging stations.
Governor Hochul should come out in strong support of the Clean Deliveries Act, which will bring relief to communities living near warehouses and give a boost to the electric truck industry while sending a signal to the private sector to ramp up investments in essential infrastructure. By championing the bill, the Governor can lead the nation and provide a path forward for tackling warehouse pollution.
As we enter a second Trump term, it’s time to double down on state actions that lead the shift away from burning dirty fuels to modern electric solutions that clean up our air and save lives. Governor Hochul can provide this leadership.
Alok works at the Northeast regional office in New York, where he supports the region’s energy, agriculture and toxics docket. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
Established in 2008, Earthjustice’s Northeast Office, located in New York City, is at the forefront of issues at the intersection of energy, environmental health, and social justice.