Big City Mayors Across California Join Bid to Restore Clean Air

San Francisco, CA – Today, the Clean Air California coalition announced that six mayors of major cities across California have endorsed the Clean Cars and Clean Air Act, a statewide measure that will appear on the November ballot. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti have all signed on to support the ballot initiative aimed at reducing air pollution and the impact of catastrophic wildfires throughout the state.

The mayors join a growing and diverse coalition of organizations and supporters representing the business community, labor unions, public health advocates, and environmental groups.

The Clean Air California coalition is sponsoring the Clean Cars and Clean Air Act to address the state’s two main sources of air pollution: transportation and wildfires. If passed by voters this November, the act will make zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and their charging infrastructure more affordable and accessible for millions more Californians, particularly low- and middle-income communities, and increase funding for wildfire prevention and suppression.

“Transitioning to zero-emission cars and trucks would make an enormous impact in our city and our region,” Mayor Schaaf said. “West Oakland and East Oakland communities especially face some of the worst air pollution in the Bay Area, due to the number of busy roadways running through that part of our city. To combat these inequities and improve the health of those communities, along with that of the entire City of Oakland and every community across the state, we need to think boldly. That’s why I’m proud to support the CCCA.”

Mayor Liccardo added, "Cars on the road make up two-thirds of San José’s greenhouse gas emissions, and while we have the third-highest rate of adoption for EVs nationally, and the most EV charging stations per capita in the U.S, we have more work to do. Making EVs more affordable paired with this historic investment in wildfire prevention will give future generations a chance to thrive on a cleaner, safer planet.”

“The Los Angeles region has long had some of the worst air quality in the country,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “We’ve seen the haze and smog grow with increased car dependency and worsening fire seasons. Every year, California residents die from complications caused by bad air quality. The switch to ZEVs will literally make the air more clear in Long Beach, the greater Los Angeles area and throughout the state — preventing thousands from premature death in our region alone.

“As we all prepare for the next fire season,” Garcia continued, “it’s so important that we provide our firefighters the support they need to curb the devastating impact of wildfires. This proposal is not just an investment in our individual cities—it’s an investment in the future of California.”

The Clean Air California coalition will submit more than 1 million signatures to state officials later this month to qualify for the November ballot.

For more information about Clean Air California, visit www.cleanairca.org.

Clean Air California is a growing coalition of environmental groups, firefighters, labor, public health advocates and businesses committed to achieving clean air in California. The group includes the American Lung Association, California Environmental Voters, the State Association of Electrical Workers - IBEW, Lyft, Natural Resources Defense Council, and CAL FIRE Local 2881.