Governor Kate Brown on Wednesday hailed the announcement by her counterpart in California, Gavin Newsom, that all new cars and trucks sold in that state will be required to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.
Governor Newsom called his executive order, which he signed on the hood of an electric Ford Mustang Mach-E, “the most impactful step our state can take to fight climate change.”
“For too many decades, we have allowed cars to pollute the air that our children and families breathe,” he said in a press release. “Californians shouldn’t have to worry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn’t make wildfires worse — and create more days filled with smoky air.
“Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a historic blitzkrieg of devastating wildfires, which have ravaged West Coast states this month and which Governor Newsom — among others — have blamed squarely on climate change.
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NEW: We’re facing a climate crisis.We need bold action.CA is phasing out the internal combustion engine.⁰By 2035 every new car sold in CA will be an emission free vehicle.Cars shouldn’t give our kids asthma.Make wildfires worse.⁰Melt glaciers.Or raise sea levels.
In a separate statement, Brown received California’s plan as “an impressive, transformative step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector,” and adding that it comes at a pivotal time for western states to act in addressing climate change.
“From pick-up trucks to minivans, the future of vehicles in this country is electric,” Governor Brown said. “I’m proud to say that, in Oregon, we have already set ambitious goals for increasing the number of zero-emission vehicles on our roads.”
As chair of the Western Governors Association, Brown launched the Electric Vehicles Roadmap Initiative this summer, which outlined a path to the adoption of zero-emission technology across the West.
“The transportation sector is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon, and pollutants from diesel and gasoline combustion pose immediate public health risks for our most vulnerable communities in Oregon,” she said. “We cannot adequately address climate change without moving to zero-emission vehicles.”
Governor Brown said she will be “following the California requirement” and looking into policies in Oregon that would accelerate vehicle electrification.
“We have heard loud and clear from Oregon’s youth that climate action is their top priority — and it is the next generation that will pay the greatest price if we fail to answer their call,” she said. “When zero-emission vehicles are widely used, we can support economic development, public health, and the environment all at the same time.”
