Mills administration says Maine won’t ‘blindly’ follow California requirement on electric vehicles

The Mills administration is signaling that it will not observe California’s lead in prohibiting the sale of gas-powered vehicles and vehicles within the state by 2035.

Maine has previously joined different states in adopting automobile emissions requirements or different environmental rules first adopted by California. However Gov. Janet Mills is not endorsing California’s newest, bold plan to require all new vehicles, vehicles and SUVs to run on electrical energy or hydrogen by 2035.

“I’d not be inclined to undertake any mandate alongside these strains,” Mills stated Friday morning in a quick interview following a State Home occasion. “Make electrical automobiles accessible, rebates accessible — however not a mandate.”

In a follow-up assertion, Mills spokeswoman Lindsay Crete stated Maine “is not going to blindly observe the lead of every other state however, as an alternative, will put the pursuits of our state and other people first to scale back greenhouse gasoline emissions, half of which in Maine come from transportation.”

Given the large dimension of the California market, the latest vote by regulators there may be anticipated to offer further motivation for auto producers to hasten their transition to electrical automobiles. In Maine, the Mills administration has set an bold purpose of getting 219,000 electrical automobiles, or EVs, registered within the state by 2030. However as of final yr, there have been solely about 5,500 EVs on the highway in Maine.

Underneath the Inflation Discount Act just lately handed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden, automotive patrons may qualify for as much as a $7,500 tax credit score for the acquisition of a brand new EV or as much as $4,000 in tax credit for a used one. Crete stated that Maine can also be increasing the variety of EV charging stations across the state, significantly in rural areas, and is offering state incentives to customers whereas engaged on different initiatives to enhance public transition and vitality effectivity.

“This work will save Maine folks cash, whereas enhancing our economic system and high quality of life,” Crete stated.

Roughly one-half of Maine’s greenhouse gasoline emissions come from the transportation sector, so decreasing tailpipe air pollution is a key part in assembly the state’s emissions reductions objectives. These official objectives are to scale back carbon emissions by 45% from 1990 ranges by 2030 and by 80% by 2050.

The Maine Division of Environmental Safety has proposed adopting one other California regulation, generally known as the California Superior Clear Vans Rule, that will require business truck and van producers to promote an growing variety of EVs within the state starting with 2025 fashions. If adopted, producers may face penalties for failing to stay as much as the foundations. The Maine Board of Environmental Safety solicited public remark final fall however the proposal continues to be pending.