Viktor MusilThe New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will submit the rule on Tuesday that will enable the mandate, according to officials in the governor’s office.
The filing of” Advanced Clean Cars II” before a deadline that was approaching on Wednesday will force automakers to start adhering to some zero emission vehicle requirements, starting with gentle duty vehicles in model year 2027—the ones that went on sale in 2026.
More details about how the rule will affect drivers are anticipated on Tuesday, but an official in the governor’s office declined to comment more.
However, the law continues California’s example by mandating that automakers add more and more electronic options to their fleets over the course of many years, eventually reaching 100 % zero-emission vehicles in just over ten years.
In 2027, the rule will mandate that 51 % of all new car sales be energy.
According to Alex Ambrose, the transportation and climate policy analyst for New Jersey Policy Perspective, “our state needs to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and after this announcement, we are no more sitting in the slow lane while other states pass us by on fresh energy.”
Ambrose emphasized that transportation emissions, the largest of any sector, account for 35 % of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey and have been rising since 2020.
The most recent clean energy regulation, known as ACCII, came after a two-month roller coaster for the state and Democrat Murphy after the largest onshore wind developer in the world abruptly abandoned what would have been New Jersey’s second ocean wind farm at the end of October.
ACCII does not require the state Legislature’s approval because it is an operational rule and not a law. On New Jersey’s commitment to the regulation, a forthcoming administration may decide to change its course.
The adoption of ACCII was nevertheless celebrated by climate activists on Monday, who claimed that by 2030, there will be more than 90,000 electric vehicles on New Jersey roads.
Anjuli Ramos-Busot, the director of the Sierra Club chapter in New Jersey, stated on Monday that “one of our biggest sectors is the transportation sector, and one of big sources that’s contributing a lot of co-pollution, as nicely as carbon, is our light-duty vehicles.”
Ramos- Busot added,” Alas, New Jersey’s environmental justice communities are entangled in very congested roads, especially going into North Jersey and going closer into New York City.” This program is virtually life-saving because it places us between two main cities, New York City and Philadelphia, as a transportation hub.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection offers an quarterly breakdown.
Murphy declared in February that the state would adhere to the fresh car rule, which he deemed essential because New Jersey is still experiencing unfavorable conditions as a result of climate change and is only expected to get worse.
Critics of the regulations have referred to ACCII as rushed, citing the urgent need for more affordable electric and hybrid vehicles as well as more energy vehicle chargers throughout New Jersey. Many people have even asserted that an increase in electric vehicles will be too much for the grid to handle. However, perhaps some supporters have acknowledged that the lengthy deadline can only be met by making more investments in various forms of electricity infrastructure construction.
It seems like a huge risk to force all of our homes, businesses, and cars to electrify when our flimsy energy grid is now struggling to keep up with demand, according to state senator Steven Oroho, R-Spursey, who stated earlier this year. There is no safety net and no redundancy.
The grid will be strengthened to handle demand over time, according to environmentalists, and EV costs are anticipated to decrease as the market expands and current price tags become more palatable thanks to the availability of$ 7,500 in federal tax credits and an additional$ 4,000 in potential rebates from Charge Up New Jersey.
Some people have even expressed skepticism about the state’s ability to accomplish the 2035 objective. According to the DEP, electric vehicles accounted for about 8 % of all new vehicle registrations in New Jersey as of December 2022.
Only over 123, 000 electric vehicles were on the road in New Jersey at the end of June. According to data provided by the DEP and the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission, EVs only account for about 1.8 % of the light duty vehicles on the roads in this state despite having about 6 million registered drivers.
Ramos-Busot noted that the Garden State will gain financially from becoming more alluring to electronic vehicle automakers in addition to the health advantages.
In addition to Tesla’s announcement that more chargers will be available, the DEP has recently stated that it intends to install more charging stations in order to satisfy demand.
Sales of fresh gas-powered cars would be effectively prohibited under ACCII.
State officials assert that it would not be a” cars on the road” type of target and would therefore never apply to used gas-powered vehicles.
Additionally, the rule will be fairly adaptable.
With the help of plug-in hybrids that meet specific standards, car manufacturers will be able to meet 20 % of their yearly zero-emission vehicle requirement.
Additionally, businesses that meet the state’s monthly sale requirements will be allowed to use some of the credits they receive by selling plug-in hybrids, less expensive zero-emission vehicles, or electric vehicles at a discount to nearby transit programs.
According to Ambrose, the adoption of ACCII this year will lower light-duty carbon dioxide emissions by 72 % below 2021 levels by 2035.
Ambrose said Monday afternoon in advance of the filing,” This announcement supports what voters said categorically just a few weeks ago: New Jersey wo n’t buy the fossil fuel industry’s misinformation.”
” After this announcement, we are no more sitting in the slow lane while other states pass us by on clean energy. Our state needs to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
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