Frontline Communities & Agencies Working on Zero Emission Truck Transitions

Join us on May 16 to learn more about how frontline communities and agencies are working together toward zero emission truck transitions. Over the past year-and-a-half, coalitions in Chicago, San Diego, and San Jose have been working to reduce freight truck emissions in disproportionately impacted communities as part of the Delivering Zero Emissions Communities (DZEC) clean trucks accelerator program. Brought to you by NRDC and CALSTART, this webinar will highlight achievements and learnings from each coalition and provide a forum to discuss catalyzing community-supported clean freight transitions. Our interactive panel will bring together perspectives from the City of Chicago, City of San Jose, Port of San Diego, San Diego Association of Governments, and community groups Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), and Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO).

Panelists

Chicago Coalition

• Jose Acosta, Senior Transportation Policy Analyst, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO)
• Samantha Bingham, Clean Transportation Program Director, Chicago Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Paulina Vaca, Project Associate, Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT)

San Diego Coalition

• Philip Gibbons, Environment & Sustainability Program Director, Port of San Diego
• Jeff Hoyos, Regional Energy/Climate Planner, San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)
• Meli Morales, Policy Advocate, Environmental Health Coalition (EHC)

San Jose Coalition

• Sarah Abroff, Associate Transportation Specialist, City of San Jose
• Christian Ollano, Winter Consulting, DZEC San Jose Community Engagement Manager

Moderators

• Al Beatty, CALSTART, DZEC Technical Assistance Manager
• Sarah Elkotbeid, NRDC, DZEC Program Coordinator
• Eleanor Leshner, Leshner Planning, DZEC Program Manager
• Martha Roskowski, Further Strategies, DZEC Senior Advisor

Agenda

• Welcome & Introduction
• City Coalition Share Outs & Lessons Learned
• Moderated Discussion
• Audience Q&A
• Closing

What is DZEC?

The Delivering Zero Emission Communities (DZEC) clean truck accelerator program is exploring new models to address our climate and health crises. Coalitions in Chicago, San Diego, and San Jose have been working towards reducing freight truck emissions in low-income communities of color by bringing community-based organizations and local agencies together to collectively tackle truck pollution. This community-first coalition model has led to mapping pollution in neighborhoods near warehouses, visiting truck stops to talk to independent drivers, and learning that a handful of trucks can constitute a majority of trips. All of these efforts have been helpful in identifying top targets for electrification. Centering the voices of environmental justice groups in the work, with their lived experience and community connections, has helped agencies to design better and more effective programs that are responsive to community needs and provide more benefits for the community, building support and momentum for their policies. Implementing programs to improve the lives of those that are disproportionately affected by freight truck pollution has fostered better relationships between community groups and local agency staff.