State Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford), who is Senate Chair of the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee and who previously served as Chair of the Environment Committee, issued the following statement today in response to Republican criticisms of Connecticut’s proposed clean air regulations:
“Let’s begin with the fact that in 2004, both Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly saw the near-unanimous passage of “An Act Concerning Clean Cars,” by which we agreed to adopt light-duty emissions standards promulgated by the State of California. We all agreed to that, Democrats and Republicans alike. The bill was signed into law by Governor Rowland.
“Now, today, many states across America are trying to catch up with Connecticut when it comes to clean air standards for motor vehicles. Massachusetts and New York have already passed these more stringent California emissions regulations, and Connecticut is surrounded by other New England states that are in the midst of writing their new emissions regulations. Most major automobile manufacturers have also made a commitment to clean air by discontinuing the production of internal combustion engines – many prior to when our regulations will take effect. Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Jaguar/Land Rover, and Uber have all pledged to end the manufacture or use of internal combustion engines by 2040, with some making promises for 2025 and 2030.
“So I say to my Republican colleagues, this should not be a partisan issue. We should be working together to honor our past promises and to preserve our environment. We’ve got young adults across America who are right now suing their states, and winning, because we’ve got a climate crisis on our hands that is ruining our planet for future generations. And we cannot do enough fast enough to halt and reverse that. Now is the time to come together to make these cars more affordable and easier to use for our constituents. The markets are shifting, and Connecticut needs to be prepared — partisanship will only slow progress.”