Maine environmental regulators will decide whether to join a growing number of states adopting new standards aimed at expanding the use of electric vehicles.
The rule, which originated in California, requires that the percentage of new light-duty vehicles that are zero-emission vehicles increases each year. The new standard will start at 51% in 2028 and increase to 82% by 2032.
The Maine Environmental Protection Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposal Wednesday, in a vote that has been expected for weeks. The proposal has been controversial in Maine, with some saying it would accelerate the already expanding adoption of electric vehicles.
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“Maine consumers are already rapidly adopting electric vehicles,” Sarah Crame, a staff attorney with the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program, said in testimony. She said, “Demand is so strong that the lack of supply is a major constraint for Maine residents looking to buy an EV, with waiting lists stretching for months for some models.”
Opponents of the proposal, including prominent state Republicans, said the measure is wrong for the state’s economy and geography and would increase costs for consumers.
FILE – Monday, June 16, 2008 At Walker Motors, a Ford dealership in Montpelier, Vermont, electric cars are on sale as an alternative to gasoline-powered cars. Environmental regulators in neighboring Maine are expected to make the following decisions: Wednesday, March 20, 2024, whether the state will join the growing number of states adopting new standards aimed at expanding the use of electric vehicles. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)
“Extremists seem to think that only 6% of consumers want an EV because the government isn’t forcing them to buy one. The truth is, given Maine’s geography and infrastructure, this plan is It’s not possible,” House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham said late. last year.
According to the California Air Resources Board, 12 states have adopted electric vehicle standards and 17 states have adopted all or part of California’s low- and zero-emission vehicle regulations. The proposal is gaining support in Democratic-controlled states.
Meanwhile, electric vehicle sales are starting to slow. The Biden administration announced new emissions standards Wednesday that could give the industry a boost.
Transportation is a major contributor to Maine’s greenhouse gas emissions, and Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has made tackling climate change a major part of her term.
The state received hundreds of comments on the electric vehicle proposal ahead of Wednesday’s meeting. The Automotive Innovation Alliance, an industry group representing automakers, testified in support of the proposal.
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The proposal may have more hurdles to clear, as the state Legislature considers legislation that would allow it to make a final decision.
