Three Strategies to Move the Region Forward

The document argues that the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region can significantly reduce climate pollution and consumer costs by investing in vehicle efficiency, electric vehicles (EVs), and clean fuels. An analysis by M.J. Bradley and Associates indicates that these strategies could cut on-road CO2 emissions by 37% by 2030 and 78% by 2050 (relative to 1990 levels), while saving consumers over $1 trillion on petroleum-based fuels by 2050. The report emphasizes that electrification is the largest driver of emissions reductions and suggests policy mechanisms such as a Clean Fuel Standard and a regional clean transportation investment fund to achieve these goals equitably.

• Implementing vehicle efficiency, electric vehicles, and clean fuels could reduce on-road carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic by 37 percent by 2030 and 78 percent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.
• The transition to clean transportation is projected to save consumers more than $125 billion on gasoline and diesel by 2030, increasing to more than $1 trillion by 2050.
• The region could avoid significant health and environmental costs, with cumulative avoided health impacts exceeding $30 billion and avoided environmental damages reaching nearly $195 billion by 2050.
• Widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption by 2050 is considered cost-effective, assuming the electrification of 90% of passenger cars, 95% of transit buses, 70% of small trucks, and 30% of large trucks.
• EV adoption could provide financial benefits to electricity ratepayers, potentially saving them nearly $22 billion by 2030 and $138 billion by 2050 through grid efficiency and optimized charging.
• An investment of nearly $172 billion between 2018 and 2030 is estimated to yield a net benefit of approximately $3 billion by 2030, growing to a cumulative $384 billion by 2050.
• The document recommends three specific policy approaches: accelerating vehicle efficiency and emissions standards post-2025, increasing utility investment in charging infrastructure, and implementing a Clean Fuel Standard.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2018). Three Strategies to Move the Region Forward. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/reducing-emissions-from-transportation-in-northeast-and-mid-atlantic.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Three Strategies to Move the Region Forward. 2018. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/reducing-emissions-from-transportation-in-northeast-and-mid-atlantic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Three Strategies to Move the Region Forward |date=October 2018 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/reducing-emissions-from-transportation-in-northeast-and-mid-atlantic.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2018three, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Three Strategies to Move the Region Forward}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/10/reducing-emissions-from-transportation-in-northeast-and-mid-atlantic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }