Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego), who's been criticized for not supporting the Green New Deal, Tuesday has authored his own piece of environmentally friendly legislation.
The "Build More Housing Near Transit Act" would require state and local governments applying for federal transit funds to show that housing will be located near proposed transit stops. The federal money comes from the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program, which funds projects like the commuter rail and the Mid-Coast Trolley.
Peters says the bill will help address San Diego's housing shortage and help the environment.
"They should be asking: 'what are you doing to build housing near it?', to make sure that we have ridership and we get people out of their cars and that taxpayers get their money's worth and we get the environmental benefits of transportation," he said.
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County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher supports the bill and says it will help reduce the cost of living for San Diego residents.
"It will also help with the location of housing and if we put that housing along transportation corridors that will help you get from where you live to where you work," Fletcher said. "That's time that you don't have to spend away from your family, that's gas you don't have to put in your car, that's greenhouse gas and toxic air pollution that you don't have to emit."
In recent months, climate activists have staged protests at Peters' district office in La Jolla to draw attention to his decision not to sign on to the Green New Deal, a sweeping plan proposed by progressive House Democrats to slash the nation's carbon emissions.
