Larisa Manescu, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
Boston, MA - Today, a coalition of 17 states, D.C., and Quebec – working through the Multi-State Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Task Force facilitated by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) – released an action plan to curb pollution from trucks and buses. The action plan makes specific policy recommendations that these signatory states, jurisdictions, and utilities should adopt. These policies include the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), Advanced Clean Fleet, Heavy Duty Omnibus rules, and innovative rate design approaches to lower fleet charging costs.
Combustion trucks and buses make up only 10 percent of total vehicles on our roads, but represent a third of climate-disrupting greenhouse gas pollution and a majority of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) pollution in the transportation sector.
Together, the jurisdictions represent 43 percent of the population, nearly half of the economy, and 36 percent of the nation’s medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The full list includes California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, the District of Columbia, and Quebec.
In response to the announcement, Hieu Le, Senior Campaign Representative with Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign, released the following statement:
“Today’s announcement is great news for a significant portion of the country, as it advances bold policies to clean up the most polluting vehicles on our roads. It should also send a clear signal to the EPA to finalize a strong federal rule to cut pollution from trucks and buses and provide a full waiver for all of California’s truck and bus regulations. Nearly half the country is committed to selling only zero-emission trucks and buses, and many of these states have adopted bold policies like the Advanced Clean Truck and Heavy Duty Omnibus rules to make this transition inevitable.
“Coordination across jurisdictions, informed by the communities most impacted, has the potential to have huge benefits for people’s lives. We applaud these states for moving the needle and urge others to follow suit. All communities across the nation deserve clean air.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.