For Immediate Release
Contact: Jackie.Greger@sierraclub.org
Sierra Club Calls on Gov. Murphy to Urgently Adopt Advanced Clean Cars II in New Jersey
This morning, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) held a public hearing on the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule, a program that would set the state on a path to lower vehicle emissions and a healthy transition to electric vehicles and cleaner air. ACC II would gradually increase sales targets so that every new light-duty vehicle and a portion of medium-duty vehicles sold in New Jersey will be a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) by 2035. Learn more about the benefits of the ACC II program to New Jersey here.
ACC II must be adopted urgently this year, the latest December 2023, so that New Jersey does not miss another model year. NJ has already lost Model Year 2026. Entering the Clean Cars program in 2023 would result in reducing light-duty CO2 emissions 72 percent below 2021 levels by 2050, 80 percent below for NOx emissions, 72 percent below for PM 2.5 and 73 percent for SO2. New Jersey cannot afford to miss this opportunity.
An overwhelming majority of stakeholders showed support for the rule. Sierra Club Executive Director, Ben Jealous, and New Jersey Chapter Director, Anjuli Ramos-Busot, both testified in support, urging the NJDEP to adopt as soon as possible. Jealous emphasized the National perspective of New Jersey as a climate leader who must continue its momentum, while Ramos-Busot discussed the local benefits and implications of the rule for New Jerseyans.
“Sierra Club fully supports New Jersey adopting the Advanced Clean Car Program,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous. “By adopting ACC II, New Jersey will contribute to country-wide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by precipitating a national shift toward zero-emission vehicles. New Jersey has been a national climate leader on many fronts, and the adoption of ACC II will ensure the continuation of that path, not just for the benefit of the state but of the entire country.”
“As a densely populated state with proximity to urban hubs like New York City and Philadelphia, New Jerseyans deserve sustainable transit that is clean,” said NJ Sierra Club Director Anjuli Ramos-Busot. “We need cleaner cars in our communities and on our streets now. Advanced Clean Cars II is a life-saving program that will clean our air so that our children can breathe easier, mitigate emissions from our state’s dirtiest sector, and kickstart a new green economy for New Jersey. We urge the NJDEP and Governor Murphy to urgently adopt this program, as our public and environmental health depend on cleaner transportation.”
###
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest, oldest 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, and www.sierraclub.org/new-jersey.