Larisa Manescu, larisa.manescu@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, a dozen governors sent a letter urging the Biden administration to reduce pollution from the transportation sector, the nation’s top polluting sector, by setting a goal for all new cars sold in the nation to be zero-emission by 2035, including milestones along the way to reach the target.
The letter was signed by the governors of California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.
According to new research from UC Berkeley, GridLab and Energy Innovation, every new car and truck sold in the US can be electric by 2035 and this transition will bring massive climate, economic, and public health benefits.
The letter addresses several of the Sierra Club’s clean transportation priorities, including:
● Reinstating California’s Clean Air Act waiver for states to be able to adopt stronger standards than the federal government’s.
● Setting standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and supporting policies — like purchase incentives and infrastructure investments — to reach 100 percent zero-emission sales for the medium and heavy duty sector by 2045.
● Investing in EV charging infrastructure.
● Prioritizing funding that provides underserved communities equitable access to zero-emission vehicles and charging stations.
In response to the letter, Katherine Garcia, Deputy Director of National Policies for Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign, released the following statement:
“We applaud this bipartisan group of 12 governors for urging the Biden administration to commit to specific targets to clean up and electrify the transportation sector. This week, leading up to the US Climate Summit, all eyes are on Biden to meet the moment with bold, transformative solutions that commit our nation to equity, justice, and urgent climate action.
“This is a critical time for the administration to address our nation’s most polluting sector and ensure cleaner air for communities across the country, especially our Black, Latinx, and Asian communities that have been historically exposed to higher levels of air pollution from transportation due to traffic from cars, buses, and commercial trucks.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million 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.