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NEW YORK, NY April 20, 2007 —Mayor Bloomberg is scheduled to deliver a major speech on Earth Day this Sunday outlining the city's plans to deal with climate change and its growing population. But, as WNYC's Beth Fertig reports, there are concerns the plans will be overshadowed by one highly controversial proposal.

Sources involved in the planning say the mayor will propose some form of congestion pricing, a system of charging drivers who enter the busiest sections of Manhattan. Environmentalists and some business groups are vocal supporters. But it's also been a lightning rod for political and business leaders in the outer boroughs. It's expected that Bloomberg will try to bring them onboard by pledging to use the revenues to improve mass transit.

The mayor's plan is about improving overall sustainability by 2030, when the city's population is expected to hit 9 million. Sources say it will establish New York as a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by proposing new building codes. Buildings are the city's biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions. For WNYC, I'm Beth Fertig.