The train cars shown in the photo run on dirty fossil fuels that pollute the communities along the route of these trains.
July 25, 2024 (Boston, MA) – The MBTA Board of Directors on Thursday approved a contract to electrify the Fairmount Commuter Rail line, which runs through Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Hyde Park. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) released the following statement in response.
“Massachusetts residents and commuters have been waiting a long time for electrification of the Commuter Rail and we’re energized by the Fairmount Line electrification project reaching this milestone,” said Ali Hiple, Senior Policy Analyst at CLF. “Electrifying the Commuter Rail isn’t just about cleaner air – it’s about justice. Diesel fumes impact low-income and minority communities the hardest. The Fairmount Line, slicing through Black and Brown neighborhoods, exemplifies this injustice. Now that this program is approved, the Board must make sure this plan stays on track and should also look to other lines to electrify. Electrification isn’t just a choice—it’s a necessity for health and equity. CLF will continue to work with its partners to press state and transportation leaders to move toward complete electrification of the Commuter Rail system.”
CLF and its partner, the Fairmount Indigo Transit Coalition, have for years called on officials to electrify the line, and transition it to subway-like service.
Transportation remains the largest source of toxic pollution in Massachusetts and the Commuter Rail trains run on diesel, a dirty fossil fuel that pollutes our air, harms our health, and contributes to climate change. Powering commuter rail trains with electricity offers a viable solution to the pollution they currently generate. In addition to being much cleaner, trains powered by electric batteries or overhead wires also run much more efficiently. That could mean faster and more frequent service.
In March 2024, the MBTA announced plans to start electrified service on the Fairmount Line by 2028. This change resulted from the advocacy of thousands of concerned riders who raised their voices alongside CLF and our partners, demanding a better transit system.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
###