HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania transportation officials announced last month that it is one of eight states forming a regional Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI).

The initiative is intended to create a new low-carbon transportation policy that would reduce pollution by burning less fossil fuel. Pennsylvania will join Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia as well as Washington, D.C. in developing its terms.

The goal of the program is not only to reduce consumption of fossil fuels but also to create economic opportunity, and improve transportation opportunities for underserved populations. The policy will put a cap on fossil fuel emissions and develop monitoring and reporting guidelines to ensure that the cap is adhered to. The policy will be developed within a year, and then each state will decide whether to adopt and implement it.

“PennDOT is proud to partner with our sister Northeastern state transportation and environmental protection agencies in TCI’s bold initiative to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector and to strengthen the resiliency of our transportation infrastructure,” said Leslie S. Richards, secretary at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.