PRESS RELEASE - December 21, 2023

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Mollie Michel, 718-536-6336,  mollie.michel@sunstonstrategies.org

Rhode Island joins more than a dozen states, adopts clean cars and trucks rules

Today the Department of Environmental Management officially adopted the Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks and Low-NOx Heavy-Duty Omnibus Rule.

Providence – Today Rhode Island officially joins a majority of its East Coast neighbors in adopting a suite of critical cleaner vehicle regulations. After months of consideration, the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced that Rhode Island will adopt three critical clean vehicle rules: the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT), Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) and Low-NOx Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO). 

Together the rules will cut deadly tailpipe pollution in Rhode Island by setting increasing electric vehicle sales targets and reducing emissions from heavy-duty vehicle engines. The ACCII sets increasingly stringent electric vehicle standards for new light-duty vehicle sales before eventually reaching 100% of new vehicle sales. The ACT similarly sets increasing electric vehicle sales targets for medium and heavy-duty vehicles while the HDO sets emission reduction standards for heavy-duty engines. 

The transportation sector is the most polluting in the state accounting for just under 40% of the state’s total emissions. The cleaner vehicle rules will help mitigate Connecticut’s climate impact, clean up the air and increase consumer choice by expanding the availability of electric vehicle options. Accelerating Rhode Island’s transition to electric vehicles is critical to meeting the state’s ambitious climate goals. With the adoption of these rules, Rhode Islanders will breathe cleaner as tailpipe and diesel soot pollution is known to cause or worsen asthma, lung disease and even cancer.

This year over a dozen states have adopted at least one of the cleaner vehicle rules including Rhode Island’s neighbors in the region Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, and New Jersey. With today’s announcement, Rhode Island is in good company as states across the country continue to lead the charge on reducing air and climate pollution from the transportation sector.

In response to today’s announcement, New Jersey clean air advocates released the following statements:

"The adoption of ACC II and ACT in Rhode Island is a significant step forward in our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and protect public health,” said Amanda Barker, Policy Associate at Green Energy Consumers Alliance. “Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants in RI, and these regulations enable the drastic EV adoption needed to tackle those emissions. They will also benefit our economy by turning off the spigot to petroleum and ensuring that Rhode Island consumers and dealerships have access to the full range of EV models. We are so glad DEM officially adopted these crucial regulations. The climate, local economy, and public health will all benefit from their adoption." 

"I’ve been an EV owner for over eight years now and I’ve never looked back,” said Joel Gates, member of Climate Action Rhode Island. “EVs are much cheaper to fuel, require less maintenance, and most importantly they have no harmful emissions spewing from the tailpipe. These regulations will not only benefit the climate and public health, but also consumers' wallets in the long run.”

“Rhode Islanders have lots to celebrate going into the new year knowing that their state is moving forward on electric cars and trucks,” said Katherine Garcia, Director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All Campaign. “Congrats to Rhode Island for adopting this crucial package of vehicle regulations including the Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Trucks Rules. We're thrilled that today Rhode Island is joining its East Coast neighbors in giving the gift of cleaner air to its residents!”

“Harmful emissions from gas-powered cars and trucks are driving the climate crisis and polluting the air in our communities,” said Attorney James Crowley from the Conservation Law Foundation. “Rhode Island has an opportunity to tackle the climate crisis while cleaning up the air in our neighborhoods. It’s time to ditch fossil fuels once and for all, and these new rules will help us get there.”

“Zero-emission vehicles will help make the air safer to breathe, create jobs, cut costs for truck fleets, and reduce the escalating risks from climate change,” said Kevin X. Shen, policy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “We have the technology, today, to transition the industry to zero-emission vehicles, and policies like the Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Cars II rules will speed that transition for the state’s over 800,000 cars, trucks, and buses. Rhode Island’s success in adopting these rules builds momentum for cleaner vehicles across the region and the country.”

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