More Than 65 Organizations Join to Support Clean Car Standards in Nevada
Governor Sisolak and his administration today initiated a rulemaking process for Clean Car Standards, joining more than a dozen other states in a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide Nevadans with healthier air.
The Clean Car Standards consist of the Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards, which require that automakers manufacture vehicles that emit fewer greenhouse gases and harmful air pollutants, and the Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program, which ensures that automakers make increasing numbers of plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles available for sale in Nevada.
The Nevada Clean Cars Coalition, consisting of more than 65 businesses, nonprofit organizations, local agencies, unions, and the state’s largest electric utility, released a letter in support of adopting Clean Car Standards in Nevada. The coalition applauds this action by the Sisolak administration and plans to participate in the rulemaking process. Following are statements from a few of the Nevada Clean Cars partners:
Shannon Proctor, Executive Director of the American Lung Association in Nevada, said: “All Nevadans deserve to breathe clean, healthy air – we are on the path, but need strong, bold actions like those announced by Governor Sisolak to ensure we succeed. The mission of the American Lung Association is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, and we know that the Nevada Clean Car Standards represent a major step in the right direction.”
Dr. Mary House, First Lady of Mountaintop Faith Ministries and CEO of CHR, Inc. (Caring, Helping & Restoring Lives), said: “The Black community and other communities of color are at greater risk of developing asthma, lung cancer, and other diseases because of harmful air pollution caused by tailpipe emissions. As an electric car driver and community advocate, I fully support the adoption of Clean Car Standards in Nevada and applaud Governor Sisolak and Attorney General Ford’s leadership on this important issue. I look forward to working with them and other agencies across Nevada to ensure that these standards are crafted and implemented in a way that brings clean, zero-emission electric vehicles to low-income consumers and consumers of color who most need relief from environmental pollution.”
Ann Silver, Chief Executive Officer of The Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce, said: “As the voice of nearly 2,000 Nevada businesses, the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce has long supported measures that advance renewable energy, cleaner transportation and energy efficiency, allowing our members to reap the benefits of lower costs, improved infrastructure and a growing workforce. We are pleased to see Nevada taking steps to set stronger emission standards that can speed up electric vehicle deployment and get our clean energy economy roaring again. Clean Car Standards prepare us for future climate challenges and position our state as a resilient and forward-looking leader.”
Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones stated: “Clark County is committed to reducing its climate impact, and our Environment and Sustainability Department has worked for years to reduce harmful air pollution in our community. Clean Car Standards will help us reach these goals and I commend the State of Nevada for taking action.”
Alexa Aispuro, Youth Organizer for Chispa Nevada, a program of the League of Conservation Voters, said: “We thank Governor Sisolak and his administration for taking this important step to clean up our air and fight off climate change. Black, Indigenous and people of color throughout Nevada disproportionately live in neighborhoods with dirtier air, more extreme heat and fewer resources. It’s why communities of color, particularly Latinx Nevadans and youth of color, view climate change as a top threat to our wellbeing, and are calling on our elected leaders to take action and ensure the rule advances transportation equity in low-income communities and communities of color. Our families deserve to breathe clean air, and getting polluting cars off Nevada’s roads and bringing Clean Cars directly into our neighborhoods would significantly improve our health, our environment and the futures of our communities.”
Jesse Newman, Business Manager for IBEW Local 396, stated: “We know that the future of Nevada’s power generation is clean energy and the future for transportation is electric vehicles. By announcing Clean Car Standards, Governor Sisolak sends a clear message that Nevada intends to lead the clean energy transition by employing highly skilled workers to modernize Nevada’s infrastructure while investing more of our dollars in clean, local power. IBEW has long been a leader in providing our members with top-notch training in the latest technology and new equipment. We applaud Governor Sisolak’s action in untapping the next frontier in job growth for Nevada’s workers.”
Today’s announcement is the latest step in a series of state-led efforts under the leadership of Governor Sisolak to address climate change and electrify Nevada’s transportation sector, which is the number one source of climate-polluting emissions in the state.
In early 2019, Sisolak announced that Nevada would join the U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 23 governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2025 – a goal consistent with the Paris Agreement. After signing into law a number of bills passed by the Nevada Legislature to further commit the state to renewable energy and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, Sisolak signed an executive order last fall directing state agencies to develop a State Climate Strategy and identify policies to reach these greenhouse gas goals.