Dear CA Air Resources Board,
I urge you to accelerate
California’s transition to 100% electric vehicles and to
strengthen requirements on new gas-powered vehicles.
Gas-powered cars and trucks are responsible for 40% of greenhouse
gas emissions in California - a massive driver of the climate
emergency, which is devastating our state with deadlier, more
damaging wildfires, heat waves, and drought.
California has led the nation by setting strong auto emissions
standards — but the current clean cars proposal does not
reflect the extreme urgency of the climate action needed.
We must reach 100% zero-emission vehicle sales at the earliest
possible moment. 2035 will be too late for us to meet our goal of
carbon neutrality by 2045. Achieving that target by 2030 gives us a
chance of meeting our climate goals and remaining a global leader
on clean cars.
While we strive to reach that 2030
target, we can’t ignore the climate-damaging emissions from
new gas cars, and must take immediate action to ensure they emit
less pollutants over the coming decades.
This action is
also critical for the health of communities harmed by the
cancer-causing vehicle exhaust fumes, which particularly hurt
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.
We urge you to adopt strong clean car
rules that require:
• 100% zero-emission vehicle
sales by 2030.
• 7% annual pollution cuts from
gas-powered cars in the meantime.
• Mandatory equity
commitments to ensure that communities most affected by pollution
benefit from electric vehicles first and foremost.
This
transition is a tremendous opportunity to create family-supporting,
high-road jobs for Californians. We urge you to seize this moment
and adopt nation-leading clean car standards that slash climate
pollution, ensure equity, and promote good jobs.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Hugh Kelly
Santa
Barbara, CA 93121
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