CARB votes to move forward with greenhouse gas reductions and
zero emission programs through 2025; action sets the table for
accelerating programs post-2025
RIVERSIDE – Today California re-affirmed its commitment to clean
air, protecting public health and continuing the fight against
climate change when the California Air Resources Board voted
unanimously to continue with the vehicle greenhouse gas emission
standards and zero-emission vehicle program for cars and light
trucks sold in California through 2025.
The action ensures that California and 12 other states that
follow its vehicle regulations, together accounting for a third
of the U.S. auto market, will move forward greenhouse gas
emission standards adopted in the 2012 process involving the
federal government, California and the automakers.
The Board also voted to support the expansion of the
zero-emission vehicle marketplace before 2025, calling for
redoubling current efforts underway to support market growth and
paving the way for new regulations to rapidly increase the number
of zero-emission vehicles required to be sold in California after
2025.
“Today ARB affirmed the technical reviews done by our own and EPA
staff, as well as the work of independent analysts,” said CARB
Chair Mary D. Nichols. “We invite the global industry to bring us
their best cars and trucks and take advantage of the willingness
of our leaders to provide a broad range of incentives to help
make these vehicles affordable. And we also invite them to come
sit down with us if they have specific concerns about
implementation of the existing regulations that can be addressed
without weakening the impact overall. The program is delivering
cleaner cars that save consumers money and are fun to drive:
That's how we do it in California.”
The Board vote was supported by representatives from the 12
states that have adopted California’s standards. Those states
together have a population of 113 million and constitute roughly
30 percent of the nation’s new car sales. Senior environmental
officials from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon
testified at today’s hearing to urge the Board’s approval.
The Board action affirmed the comprehensive, multi-year staff
assessment and analysis that concluded that the standards for
model years 2022-25 are appropriate and feasible. The staff
assessment found that the technology to achieve them is not only
currently available, but has exceeded the original expectations,
both for level of development and cost, when the standards were
adopted with automaker support in 2012.
The Board’s vote reached the same conclusion as the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency in its final determination in
January on the federal greenhouse gas emission standards for
model years 2022-25. Last week, however, the Trump
administration rescinded that decision at the request of
automakers, and announced that it intends to reconsider the final
determination in coordination with the National Highway Traffic
Safety Agency, which is responsible for setting the Corporate
Average Fuel Economy standards.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Attorney General Xavier Becerra,
Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Leon and Assembly Speaker
Anthony Rendon criticized the move by the Trump administration.
The Board’s decision to stay the course on standards to cut
greenhouse gases and smog-forming emissions was based upon the
findings of a comprehensive, 637-page staff report that included
an analysis of the Technical Assessment Report developed by
California and the federal agencies, which was released last
July. The CARB staff report also includes the first
comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the zero-emission vehicle
market in California, including valuable new consumer research to
assess the benefits and use profiles of ZEVs now operating in
California.
Based on these findings, the Board also voted to pursue policies
to support more than 4 million zero-emission vehicles in
California by 2030, and established a goal to continue reducing
average fleet-wide greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles by
4-5 percent per year between 2025 and 2030.
“With the midterm review now in the rearview mirror, we look
forward to accelerating our efforts to develop the next set of
California vehicle standards,” said CARB Deputy Executive Officer
Alberto Ayala. “California is also moving forward to accelerate
deployment of fuel cell and battery electric cars. That will put
us on track to meeting our clean air and climate goals for 2030
and also align California with current advanced vehicle
technology research and investment in the global auto
marketplace.”
California, with nearly half of all zero-emission vehicles in the
nation, has several programs in place to further support the
growing electric car marketplace. The state offers rebates to
new buyers or lessees of zero-emission vehicles, is rapidly
scaling the infrastructure for charging electric cards and
fueling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and agencies are pursuing
nearly 200 actions to support the market, as identified in the
Governor’s 2016 ZEV Action Plan.
The Board expressed its commitment to support the ZEV marketplace
by continuing complementary programs such as the Low Carbon Fuel
Standard, and redoubling efforts on continued state incentives,
utility infrastructure programs, and expanded public education
programs, such as the newly established initiative through Veloz,
formerly the California Plug-in Electric Vehicle Collaborative.
The staff Midterm Review report is here:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/
____________________________
Statement of Support from Connecticut:
“Connecticut and the other states who have adopted California’s
greenhouse gas standards have done so because motor vehicles are
a major contributor to our GHG emissions and reductions from the
California standards are key to meeting our climate goals. We
applaud the effort that went into ARB’s comprehensive review and
we will continue to implement these standards while also strongly
supporting ZEV market development through innovative rebate
programs like the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile
Purchase Rebate program. It must also be noted that analyses by
both EPA and ARB demonstrate these standards are achievable at
lower costs than originally projected so the federal government
should keep its promise to the states, the auto makers and, most
importantly, the American people who will benefit from the
electrification of our transportation systems by breathing
cleaner air and paying less at the pump.” Commissioner Rob Klee,
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Statement of Support from Massachusetts
“Since 1990 the Commonwealth has implemented the California
vehicle emission standards for automobiles as a critical means
for Massachusetts to meet greenhouse gas and emissions reduction
goals under the Global Warming Solutions Act, and the standards
have provided tremendous public health benefits in the Northeast
region over the years. Through the zero emission vehicle
standards approved by the California Air Resources Board, the
Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act and similar
requirements in neighboring states, our region continues to
ensure the protection of environmental resources and emissions
reductions in a coordinated effort to further reduce greenhouse
gas emissions.” Martin Suuberg, Commissioner of the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection.
California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.
No comments:
Post a Comment