Environmental Defense

An analysis released today on public opinion about congestion pricing shows some indication that yesterday's opinion poll, which reported a majority of New Yorkers oppose the plan, may not be the whole story. The analysis, conducted by Environmental Defense, a group that supports congestion pricing and whose staff attended the public hearings, shows that 57 percent of people who spoke at the recent congestion pricing hearing support it.

According to the group, 39 people (26%) support the plan as is, 46 people (31%) support it and have recommendations for improving it. Thirteen people (9%) had serious concerns about it, 39 people (26%) opposed congestion pricing and had recommendations about alleviating traffic in other ways.

Somewhat surprisingly, 12 people (8%) did "not address congestion pricing."

National environmental leaders will take out ad space in the New York Times, and Times Union tomorrow to publish their an open letter to Eliot Spitzer and lawmakers urging them to support Mike Bloomberg’s 2030 plan.

“Gridlock contributes to smog and acts as a brake on economic growth. Business as usual is not a plan for the future, especially for a city that is expected to grow by nearly a million people in the next twenty years,” says the letter, written by the heads of the Environmental Defense, Sierra Club and Natural Resource Defense Fund, according to an advance copy.

“Mayor Bloomberg’s plan is bold, to be sure. But it’s also achievable. It could serve as a model for cities across the country and throughout the world.”

The letter concludes: “The next step is for leaders in the state legislature, city council and the metropolitan region to take the proposed plan and turn it into reality. Before it’s too late.”

Which is sort of an echo of today’s Daily News editorial.

The full letter is after the jump.  read more »