“Boosting Health for Children” – the latest report on zero-emission vehicles from the American Lung Association – found that a nationwide transition to electric cars and trucks and clean energy would prevent childhood asthma attacks and infant deaths.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just finalized critical new measures to make new future cars and trucks less polluting and get more zero-emission vehicles on the road.
Now, they have to make sure states can set their own strong vehicles standards too. Join us in thanking President Biden and EPA for strengthening national limits on vehicle pollution, and urge them to take additional steps to support states in cleaning up vehicles.
EPA just finalized:
Tighter limits on greenhouse gases, particulate matter pollution and other emissions from light-duty vehicles (like passenger cars, SUVs and light pickups)
Tighter limits on greenhouse gases, particulate matter pollution and other emissions from medium-duty vehicles (like large pickups, package delivery vans and post office trucks)
Tighter limits on greenhouse gases from heavy-duty vehicles (like trucks, transit buses and school buses)
These new rules require vehicle manufacturers to meet specified emissions limits, which vary by type of vehicle. They’ll kick in for vehicles in Model Year 2027 and require progressively tighter limits through 2032. They’ll help drive a nationwide transition to zero-emission transportation, which will have enormous benefits for public health.
Join us in thanking EPA for these new rules and urge them to finish the job by finalizing additional measures to support states that are setting even tighter vehicle pollution standards. Add your name now.
Petition:
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
The Honorable Michael Regan
Administrator
United States Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Dear President Biden and Administrator Regan:
We thank the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for finalizing strong emissions standards for light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. These emissions standards are a major victory for addressing climate change, improving public health and promoting environmental justice.
Now we call on you to approve California’s requested waivers for the state’s own vehicle standards. Approving these waivers is critical not only for allowing California’s own strong programs to move forward, but for other states that have opted in to implement their own programs.
Emissions from vehicles powered by gasoline and diesel pose immediate harm to health. In the heavy-duty vehicle sector, pollution from diesel-powered trucks and buses drive health harms including asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, and premature death. Seventy-two million people are estimated to live near truck freight routes, and they are more likely to be people of color and people with lower incomes.
Pollution from light- and medium-duty vehicles powered by gasoline and diesel, like passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and package delivery vans, also harms public health and is driving climate change. Particulate matter can cause immediate health harm, including respiratory and cardiovascular disease, lung cancer and even premature death.
Transportation is the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and transitioning to zero-emission cars is a critical part of addressing climate change. Climate change is a health emergency, leading to more frequent and intense extreme weather events like flooding, excessive heat, drought, and wildfires; longer and more intense allergy seasons; increased risks from water-borne and vector-borne diseases like Lyme Disease; and worsening air quality.
Your recently finalized multi-pollutant standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles and greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles are a huge victory for public health. We thank you for these major steps forward and urge you to take additional steps to approve California’s pending waiver requests to further clean up transportation pollution and improve health equity.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Town, State