NESCAUM Welcomes Adoption of Landmark Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations

For Immediate Release:
August 25, 2022

Contact:
Elaine Bueschen O’Grady
NESCAUM Clean Transportation Policy and Program Director
(802) 343-7221
eogrady@nescaum.org
www.nescaum.org

Today, the California Air Resources Board adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations to require new car and light-duty truck sales to ramp up to 100 percent zero-emission vehicles by model year 2035 and set stronger emission standards for new internal combustion engine vehicles sold until then. The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) welcomes these landmark regulations. ACC II will achieve significant pollution reductions from cars and light-duty trucks in California and can be adopted by other states.

Paul J. Miller, NESCAUM Executive Director, said: “Adopting these regulations is a powerful action states can take to combat air pollution and climate change, while at the same time saving consumers money. NESCAUM looks forward to continuing its long history of supporting states that are leading the way for stronger national and global actions.”

Transportation is the largest source of climate disrupting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the nation and a major source of pollutants that harm public health, especially in communities near roads with heavy traffic. For decades, most of the Northeast states have enforced California’s clean car standards in lieu of federal standards. These standards have led to dramatic improvements in air quality and are a key component of the Northeast states’ comprehensive plans to achieve their GHG emission reduction targets. By establishing a new set of clean car standards, ACC II provides states with a critical tool to further reduce motor vehicle pollution to protect public health, achieve climate goals, and meet state and federal air quality requirements.

NESCAUM submitted written comments to the California Air Resources Board on the proposed ACC II regulations.

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NESCAUM is the regional non-profit association of state air pollution control agencies in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. NESCAUM serves as a technical and policy advisor to its member agencies on a wide range of air pollution and climate issues and facilitates multi-state initiatives to improve air quality and mitigate climate change. For more than three decades, NESCAUM and its members have closely collaborated with California and other states, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the automobile industry to promote low- and zero-emission vehicles.

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