Commentary: With electric buses, L.A. Metro has the opportunity to boost Glendale’s health and economy

From the family-owned restaurants that have served Glendale for decades, to the world-class Americana, to the big-name entertainment industry studios that bring the our stories to life, Glendale is an economic force that keeps growing and thriving.

Our city’s leadership aims to establish a vibrant 18-hour downtown scene to attract tech companies and business leaders looking to relocate and tourists looking for world-class entertainment. These are lofty and worthwhile goals that can bring a lot of opportunity to Glendale’s residents, including quality jobs for residents, better education for our kids, and more economic support for local businesses.

We can only accomplish these goals, and enjoy their benefits, by investing in our community and sticking to our values. As we grow as an economic hub, one key opportunity to demonstrate our commitment is to provide the cleanest and best transportation options for families, employees, shoppers and students to get from point A to B.

While we are building more places for Glendale residents and visitors to work, live, dine and play, we must make sure that our transportation system is as clean and green as possible — and that means public transit with zero pollution: electric buses.

On July 27, the L.A. Metro Board of Directors will vote on whether to make a transition to an entirely zero-emissions electric bus fleet. This transition to electric buses would help clean up Glendale’s (and more broadly, Los Angeles County’s) poor air quality, reduce our impacts on the climate, and allow our communities to breathe easier. Where we aim to make Glendale a more economically healthy city, with L.A. Metro’s help, we can also become a cleaner, healthier city for our residents.

As of now, our region exceeds federal safety limits for pollution like particulate matter and ozone — causing 1,341 premature deaths per year and 2.9 million missed school or work days. Switching to electric buses could solve that: electric buses do not emit the same nitrogen oxide, ozone and particulate matter pollution that L.A. Metro’s current natural gas buses do. Electric buses could bring fewer smoggy days, lower rates of asthma and decreased lung function, and save families money on costly asthma medication and trips to the emergency room.

Beyond being the obvious choice for the health of our communities and climate, making an investment in electric buses is good for our local economy. Businesses invest in California — now more than ever — because our cities push the boundaries of ingenuity and leadership. We must encourage our local agencies like L.A. Metro to commit to smart policies that promote equity and public health. Otherwise we risk losing altogether. While the federal government is determined to move backward with regressive economic and environmental policies, we encourage L.A. Metro to show leadership and progress with a commitment to electric buses — with Glendale cheering them on.

As a believer in smart investments for Glendale, L.A. Metro is at a crossroads: it can either claim the mantle of climate and public health leadership and transition our fleet of buses toward 100% zero-emissions electric, or stick with a natural gas status quo that sets us back decades. Natural gas technology is now more than 20 years old and its reputation as a clean alternative to diesel is obsolete, especially with affordable and reliable electric buses already in the market. A costly investment in more fossil-fuel-powered vehicles would only continue to expose our communities to pollution and emit climate-harming greenhouse gases.

Luckily, L.A. Metro has already shown it’s not afraid of a challenge. In 1997, it became the world’s first major transit agency to begin switching away from the heavily polluting diesel engine. Retiring its last diesel bus in 2011 was a major first step toward prioritizing the health of our citizens and our climate. Now, we encourage L.A. Metro to take the next step.

Committing to zero-emissions electric buses will clean up our air, protect our climate, and provide another incredible selling point to further boost Glendale’s economy. I am confident that L.A. Metro will again choose to lead the way and provide communities with the cleanest transportation available: zero-emissions electric.

Laura Friedman was elected to the state Assembly in November 2016 to represent the 43rd District which encompasses Los Angeles, Glendale and Burbank. In 2009 she was elected to the Glendale City Council, served as mayor from 2011-2012 and was re-elected in 2013.