At a press conference held at Lechmere, MassPIRG announced the findings of its new public transportation report which states that Massachusetts’ public transportation system reduces oil consumption and global warming emissions. Read more about the report.
BostonNOW: “Green Line extension gets boost”
Boston Metro: “T growth helps city go Green”
Somerville Journal: “Pols back report saying Green Line extension through Somerville will be better for environment, wallets”
âWe’re done with highways,â Congressman Mike Capuano said. âFinally, we have a governor and an administration who get it.â
From the article…
Governor Deval Patrick has committed to funding the Green Line, and has traveled to Somerville in the past to make that commitment clear. Despite recent federal cuts to transportation funding, Capuano said, he was committed to getting federal money into the project as well.
The press conference at Lechmere was staged by United States Public Interest Research Group analyst Phineas Baxandall and Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Bernard Cohen, who said the state was still looking for ways to fund the project. The officials were on hand to present a report Baxandall authored urging the state to finish the Green Line Extension.
Baxandall said efforts to extend the Green Line represent the future of transportation development. He said Boston area commuters taking the subway saved $403 million on gas and sent 1.2 million metric tons less of poisonous carbon into the air in 2006.