Various government officials and agencies lead initiatives to start addressing climate change. However, new policies undergo scrutiny in relation to sustainability and possible other factors. Democratic Governor Ned Lamont plans to ban gas car sales by 2035. But the plans need to take a U-turn.

Change of Plans

After facing resistance from the Regulation Review Committee, Democratic Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont withdrew his proposal to force future electric vehicle (EV) purchases. The committee was scheduled to vote against a 2035 gasoline-powered vehicle sales ban.

This has led the governor and EV proponents to rethink their approach and create a fresh proposal for Connecticut's General Assembly. Lamont's initial proposal was met with bipartisan opposition, showing the difficulties of switching to electric vehicles to tackle climate change.

According to a recent news from Republican American, Jonathan Dach, the governor's chief of staff, announced on Monday that the administration decided to withdraw certain regulations because they were informed that opponents on a bipartisan committee had enough votes to completely block them.

Legislators are planning to hold a press conference to propose an alternative plan, which involves passing a bill in the General Assembly to align Connecticut with other states like California, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey in phasing out gas-powered vehicle sales.

The report also shared that House Speaker Matt Ritter mentioned the possibility of following the example of New Mexico and Colorado, which aim to achieve this goal by 2035 while assessing their progress in developing the necessary electric infrastructure before that date.

Governor Lamont decided to withdraw the proposal to ban gas car sales in Connecticut just four months after introducing it. The proposal aimed to align the state's emissions standards with California's aggressive target of making all passenger vehicles electric by 2035.

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Concerns About the Mandate

Fox News gave more details about Lemont's withdrawal of his proposal. Connecticut Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly applauded the withdrawal. The General Assembly should decide the switch to California emission regulations, he said.

There are concerns about the electric grid's capacity, grid improvements' cost and location, and the potential negative impact on various families. Kelly also stressed the necessity for a national and international air quality strategy since over 90% of Connecticut's pollution comes from outside the state.

Glimpse on Lamont's Proposal

Under Governor Lamont's proposal, Connecticut aimed to adopt California's regulations for electric vehicle (EV) mandates, including a requirement for 75% of trucks and buses to be electric by 2035. The passenger car mandate was based on a 2003 law linking Connecticut's clean air rules to California's program, while the truck and bus mandate stemmed from the 2022 Connecticut Clean Air Act.

Connecticut, New Mexico, and New Jersey will follow California's emission limitations and EV sales mandates once the EPA reinstated them.

According to News8, in August, over 230 individuals testified before the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection regarding the plan. They complained about the state's lack of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and electric vehicle prices.

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