A Bronx Cheer for Congestion Pricing

At a press conference today, a group of Bronx and northern Manhattan elected officials have signed on in support of Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing effort. They are:

• Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion
• Assembly member Michael Benedetto
• Assembly member Adam Clayton Powell IV
• Bronx Democratic Chair and Assembly member Jose Rivera.
• Council member James Vacca.
• Council member Annabel Palma.

An updated list from The Daily Politics:

• Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat
• Assemblyman Peter Rivera
• Assemblyman Carl Heastie
• Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera

Here’s a piece of the press release from the Campaign for New York’s Future:

“Environmental Defense applauds Bronx Borough President Carrion, Assembly Members Benedetto, Powell and Rivera, and Council Members Palma and Vacca for supporting congestion pricing, clean energy and the goals of PlaNYC at this critical time,” said Andy Darrell, director of the Living Cities program at Environmental Defense. “Vehicle emissions contribute more than 86% of the total cancer risk from toxic air pollution in the Bronx, and the air cancer risk from diesel is 1000 times higher than the EPA standards. Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion’s support helps move the Bronx — and the city as a whole — toward a future with less traffic pollution, better transit and lower energy bills. It’s time for legislative leaders in Albany to take the step that Adolfo Carrion and his colleagues have taken today.”