Environmental Defense Announces New Ad Campaign Supporting Congestion Pricing Included in Bloomberg Sustainability Plan Announced Today

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Diane Slaine-Siegel, 917-853-5664-c (Sunday), 212-616-1267 (weekdays), dslaine@environmentaldefense.org

WHAT:
Environmental Defense will launch a print advertising campaign tomorrow (Monday) linking pollution from traffic congestion to an increased risk of cancer, heart and lung disease for millions of New Yorkers. The bottom half of the ad features a wide shot of traffic congestion. The upper half of the ad has a close up photo of a tailpipe billowing smoke with the following headline superimposed over it: "I LOVE THIS TOWN BUT THE TRAFFIC IS KILLING ME." The ad copy concludes: "Support Congestion Pricing. For more information, go to www.allchokedup.org." The ad will appear in major New York newspapers.

WHY:
Mayor Michael Bloomberg today announced a congestion pricing proposal as one of 100+ initiatives in his PLANYC to create the world's cleanest and healthiest city and to reduce global warming pollution 30 percent by 2030.

Environmental Defense advised the Mayor's team creating the plan for a sustainable New York and is committed to seeing this plan become law. Environmental Defense will continue to work for significant action by the Governor, the state legislature and the city council, both this year and next.

In March, Environmental Defense released the report "All Choked Up – Heavy Traffic, Dirty Air and the Risks to New Yorkers [PDF]."

WHO:
Andy Darrell, Director, Living Cities Program, Environmental Defense/ Member, The Mayor's Sustainability Advisory Board, is available to discuss the ad campaign and the benefits of a congestion pricing system for New York City.