Oregon joins new electric vehicle coalition after Congress revokes California's stricter clean emission rules
The federal Clean Air Act prohibits states like Oregon from creating their own, more stringent vehicle emission standards. But it allows powerful and populous California to seek waivers that allow it to develop and implement its own emission rules — and other states can then adopt them.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has long relied on California's waivers to set clean car and truck rules, seeking to gradually transition gasoline and diesel-powered cars and trucks in the state to electric ones.
These include regulations to transition all new passenger cars, SUVs and light-duty pickup trucks sold in Oregon to battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles by 2035 and to require medium and heavy-duty truck manufacturers in the state to sell a rising percentage of new plug-in hybrid or zero-emission trucks as part of their overall sales.
The Senate's vote came as U.S. House Republicans voted to gut clean energy tax credits, including the federal tax credit for electric vehicles. If that bill becomes law, electric cars – already more expensive than fossil fuel-powered cars – would become even less affordable.
The Affordable Clean Cars Coalition — led by the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of two dozen governors committed to advancing state-led climate action — will work to sustain and develop state programs to help residents buy affordable electric cars and expand charging and fueling infrastructure, among other agenda items.
California also announced it plans to sue the federal government over the Senate's decision to revoke the clean air waiver. Leah Feldon, director of Oregon's DEQ, said she was disappointed in the Senate's decision. The DEQ declined to comment on whether it would join California's lawsuit.
'This action puts decades of progress at risk and makes it harder for states like Oregon to tackle climate change and protect our air and our communities,' Feldon said in a statement.
It's unclear how Oregon plans to make the transition to electric cars and trucks easier. Gov. Tina Kotek's office did not immediately return calls for comment.
The state's popular rebate program for EV's has just reopened, but is likely — as in previous years — to quickly run out of funding. And in recent days, Oregon chose to delay the enforcement of a clean truck rule aimed at phasing out dirty diesel trucks.
Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation contribute 35% of Oregon's total emissions — the largest sector of emissions across the state. Tailpipe pollution also contributes to myriad health problems, including asthma, heart disease and premature death, especially in low-income communities located near highways and industrial areas.
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