On November 28, Connecticut’s clean car and clean truck standards faced a set-back. Governor Lamont announced at a press conference that he was pulling the clean cars and trucks regulations. But the fight to reduce emissions and pollution from transportation is not over. The legislature can and must bring these regulations for a vote so that Connecticut can benefit. House Democrats will be meeting on Monday, December 4 to caucus the issue. They need to hear strong support from constituents. Send a message today. For even greater impact, please follow up with a phone call.

 

More about the fight for clean car and clean truck regulations in Connecticut:

 

Republicans and the Yankee Institute (a Big Oil-backed right-wing think tank in Connecticut) and others are spending time and money spreading lies and false information to try to stop these life-saving regulations. This disinformation campaign is nothing new. It is crafted to stop action on climate change.

 

We must stand up to the fossil fuel industry’s incessant misinformation campaign, and urge lawmakers to do the same. The fossil fuel industry, and its mouthpieces, have peddled flat-out lies about clean transportation for years. 

 

The truth is that for two decades, Connecticut’s existing clean transportation regulations have been a huge help in addressing the high-stakes climate consequences of a polluting transportation sector. Alongside environment and environmental justice groups, economists, health experts, and faith leaders have all spoken out in support of the clean car and clean truck rules in Connecticut. 

 

Here are a few of the opinion pieces in support of the clean transportation regulations before the Regulations Review Committee:

 

• Economists Gary Yohe & Roger Kuhns wrote Take it from the economists — CT’s electric vehicle policy is common sense which appeared in the Hartford Business Journal on October 30..

• Connecticut must phase in zero-emissions cars now appeared in the CT Mirror on November 10 from Father Bob Washabaugh, reverend of Saints Peter & Paul Church and Saint Mary Church in Norwich.

• Air pollution harms public health. It's time for change. This piece in the Hartford Courant on November 12 was authored by Dr. Mark Mitchell, a former director of the Hartford Health Department and current director of State Affairs for the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.

• On November 13, ctnewsjunkie.com published Don’t Fall For Scare Tactics: Myths And Reality Of Electric Vehicles by State Representative Christine Palm.

• Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund and a resident of Norwalk, authored New CT vehicle standards mean economic opportunity, better health which appeared in the CT Mirror on November 16.

 

Ten other states have now adopted the clean car and clean truck rules, including our neighbors in New York and Massachusetts. Just last month, New Mexico adopted the regulations despite facing a similar disinformation campaign from the fossil fuel industry. And most recently, New Jersey adopted the regulations.

 

Take action today - send a message to your lawmaker. If you want to amplify your impacts follow your message up with a phone call, post your support on social media, or write an opinion piece for your local newspaper. Every action makes a difference.

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Samantha Dynowski is State Director of Sierra Club Connecticut.

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In case you missed it, check out last month’s article with more information on this issue: 

14 Member Legislative Committee Will Vote On Connecticut Clean Cars And Trucks In November