Dear Neighbor,
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and it poses a great threat to the City of Providence, so it is especially important that Providence leads by example in limiting climate pollution. Providence has a goal to eliminate all climate pollution from municipal operations by 2040, as outlined in our Climate Justice Plan. But it’s not just about eliminating pollution – it’s also about doing so in a way that is just and equitable, and so the City is prioritizing this work in the City-owned schools and facilities used most by low-income, communities of color and in high-pollution areas.
Transportation is the leading source of climate pollution in Providence and across Rhode Island. Because of this, I am excited to share that the City recently purchased fifteen new electric vehicles — all part of the City’s efforts to lead by example. These new electric vehicles are another piece of the City’s work to address the global climate challenge, while also improving the livelihood of our residents by reducing air pollution on city streets
The Nissan Leaf vehicles are already in use by the Department of Public Works, Division of Inspections and Standards, Parking Enforcement, Public Property, and the Providence Fire Department. I’d like to thank our partners, the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and electric utility National Grid, who helped to provide input on the cost effectiveness of both electric vehicles and charging stations. In addition to the new vehicles, the City has also installed twelve electric vehicle charging stations on the second floor of the Providence Public Safety Complex garage.
Our City has made bold commitments to ensure that Providence is on its way to becoming a more just and sustainable City. Our nationally-recognized Climate Justice Plan charts a course for the City to be carbon neutral by 2050 in a way that is equitable and fair to frontline communities. We’ve also made some great progress toward these goals by making it easier for residents and visitors to bike or walk around Providence, investing in building energy efficiency to save energy on heating and cooling and increasing the City’s use of clean energy.
Today, Providence remains committed to working towards a more sustainable, resilient and equitable future – from working with community partners to create a residential composting plan of the transition to an all electric vehicle fleet.
To learn more about the City’s Office of Sustainability, visit
https://www.providenceri.gov/sustainability
Sincerely,
Jorge O. Elorza