Dear Air
Resources Board,
I urge you
to restore California’s leadership on clean cars by
accelerating the state’s transition to 100% electric vehicles
and requiring cleaner new gas-powered ones.
Climate
pollution from gas-powered cars and trucks makes up nearly 30% of
total emissions in California. These vehicles are a massive driver
of the climate emergency, devastating our state with deadlier, more
damaging wildfires, heat waves, and drought.
Historically we’ve led the nation on setting
strong auto emissions standards — but the current clean cars
proposal falls short of the action we need.
If we
don’t reach 100% zero-emission vehicle sales until 2035, it
will be too late for California to meet its goal of carbon
neutrality by 2045, since many new vehicles last 20 years or
longer. Moving that target to 2030 will give our state a better
chance of meeting its climate goals and remaining a global leader
on clean cars.
And until
we reach that target in 2030, California can’t ignore the
climate-damaging emissions from new gas cars. It needs to take
action to make sure they emit less as they drive our roads for
decades.
This action
is also critical to protect the health of communities hit hardest
by tailpipe pollution. Cancer-causing vehicle exhaust harms
people's health and particularly hurts low-income communities of
color near congested freeways.
California
must lead the way with strong policy solutions to end tailpipe
pollution and build an environmentally just transportation system.
New clean car standards must ensure equitable access to electric
vehicles.
I urge you
to adopt strong clean car rules that require: