In another step towards North Carolina’s clean transportation future, Gov. Roy Cooper today signed an executive order directing the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality to begin the rulemaking process to adopt the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which will help to achieve widespread electrification of vehicles ranging from delivery vans to tractor-trailers.
The Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule will require manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero-emission trucks, which will lead to far-reaching public health, environmental, and economic benefits for North Carolinians.
Fossil fuel-burning trucks and buses, in particular, pose a significant threat to public health due to the particulate matter and smog-forming pollutants in their tailpipe emissions. Replacing them with zero-emission vehicles is a key step in fighting pollution-related illnesses. The rule's economic benefits come from lowering the cost of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by requiring manufacturers to increase model availability.
Other provisions of Executive Order 271 direct multiple state agencies to identify and meet electric vehicle infrastructure needs such as charging, and to address health and environmental justice concerns associated with transportation emissions.
By adopting the ACT rule, North Carolina will save lives, cut down on cases of respiratory illness, and reduce greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions.
"This is a critical first step toward a zero-emission transportation sector that will benefit all North Carolinians. It's particularly important for communities of color, where pollution from fossil fuel-burning trucks is especially prevalent and harmful,” said Cynthia Satterfield, the N.C. Sierra Club's State Director. “We thank the Cooper administration for listening to many diverse advocates who urged North Carolina to adopt the ACT rule for healthier communities and critical climate action."
