CALPIRG Blog

Today’s lawsuit by Attorney General Jerry Brown underlines the importance of reducing harmful pollution from air travel. Reducing global warming emissions from individual plane trips is a no brainer, and we’re pleased that the Attorney General and several environmental groups are petitioning the EPA to take action.

But as air travel continues to grow, California also needs to give travelers a convenient alternative to flying by building high speed rail. The High Speed Rail Authority estimates that the high speed rail line would attract up to 18 million passengers annually who would otherwise fly. That means fewer short plane trips and far less global warming pollution, because high speed rail would use one-third of the energy that planes use to move the same number of passengers. CALPIRG is urging state leaders to support the November 2008 ballot initiative that would allocate the funds needed to start laying the tracks.