Portland, Ore. (AP) – Policymakers for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality approved a rule Monday that bans the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in Oregon until 2035.
Oregon plans to cut climate-warming emissions by 50% by 2035 and 90% by 2050, The Oregonian/OregonLive reports. The transportation sector is responsible for approximately 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon.
The rule is based on California’s vehicle emissions standards adopted in August. The standards require carmakers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emissions vehicles – electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles – as a share of their total sales, starting at 35% in 2026 increases to 100%. 2035.
The rule allows the sale of hybrid vehicles, which run primarily on electricity but can run on gas. The rule does not affect cars already on the road and gas-powered cars will continue to be available for sale within the state.
The new rule also requires manufacturers to increase access to affordable zero-emission vehicles for low-income families and communities of color. It incentivizes manufacturers to sell electric cars to community car sharing programs to produce low-cost zero-emissions cars and to direct used electric cars to dealerships participating in low-income assistance programs. provides.
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The new requirements will help Oregon meet its goals, adopted by the Legislature in 2019, for at least 90% of new vehicles sold annually by 2035 to be zero emissions. Those goals came without results, while the newly adopted rule includes penalties to manufacturers for non-compliance.
“By creating regulatory certainty for manufacturers, EV charging providers and utilities, it sets a clear path for a future of zero-emissions passenger cars and trucks in Oregon,” said Rachel Sakata, senior air quality planner for the Department of Environmental Quality. ,
Sakata said the Environmental Quality Commission received more than 700 comments on the rule, with 500 supporting it.
Oregonians who spoke against the rule during the public comment period cited the expense of electric cars and the lack of charging stations.
Environmental Quality Commissioner Greg Eddington, who voted against adopting the rule, acknowledged that many Oregonians, especially those in rural areas, do not support the rule and do not have access to electric vehicle charging.
“There are a lot of people in the state who don’t know where this is going,” Eddington said.
Sakata said the new standard will expand the market for new and used zero-emission vehicles and bring down prices. It also said that the upfront cost is offset by reduction in operation and maintenance cost.
Oregon has more than 2,000 public and private electric vehicle chargers across the state, and more are being built.
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