Stop NYC Congestion Tax

The New York City Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability released a report, Inventory of New York City Greenhouse Gas Emissions, in April of 2007, which catalogs the various ways New Yorkers produce greenhouse gases.

On page 24, the City finds that CO2 emissions from on-road vehicles have actually decreased in the past 10 years by 6%, from about 12.3 million metric tons of CO2 in 1995 to 11.6 million in 2005.

In fact, the graphs in the report show that residential and industrial buildings are primarily responsible for the increase of CO2 output in the past 10 years, not on-street vehicles.

While the report does not specifically highlight this point, it is likely that the overall trend of commuters to use mass transit along with buying more environmentally-friendly, economically-practical vehicles contributes to the decline.

If the City wants to clean up the environment, it ought to rely on incentivising the purchase of cleaner automobiles through tax deductions or even rebates, rather than adding yet another tax on the average New Yorker.

Coupled with that, it would behoove the City and the State to enforce its pollution standards more vigorously if it wants to fight greenhouse gas emissions better. A recent report from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation revealed that out of the 311 diesel trucks driving in East Harlem that were inspected, 110, or about 33%, were in violation of air pollution standards. The state estimates that approximately 25% of trucks driving in East Harlem are polluting beyond State limits.