Pipe exhaust car smoke emission
With the weather warming up, Wisconsinites will head out for road trips.
Some local leaders hope in the future, drivers will pass through their communities with vehicles sold under tighter emission standards.
This spring, the federal Environmental Protection Agency announced finalized pollution standards for cars and light trucks, with these phased-in updates covering model years 2027 through 2032.
For example, they require an industry-wide target of reducing light-duty vehicle emissions by 50%.
Chippewa County Board of Supervisors member Pamela Guthman said as a registered nurse, she’s well aware of elevated asthma cases in her region.
She said she hopes those can be addressed with fewer cars emitting harmful pollutants.
“These EPA standards are necessary to decrease the harmful particulate matter,” said Guthman, “to save the lives of our children, grandchildren, and community members right here in Eau Claire and throughout Wisconsin.”
In a news conference, Guthman and other local leaders touted the economic benefits of adding more electric vehicles to the road.
Those include consumer savings on repairs and maintenance. They hope policymakers ignore opposition from the oil industry and other skeptics.
The rules don’t require automakers to use one type of technology, but opponents say subsidies give Electric Vehicles’ an unfair advantage.
As a representative of Healthy Climate Wisconsin, Guthman said maintaining these new standards can also reduce healthcare costs, while keeping the labor force strong.
“Keeping employers and employees happy,” said Guthman, “by people being healthy enough to get to work. ”
Environmental policy experts say the new standards also provide more certainty for the automotive industry as it transitions to electric vehicles.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says despite certain market forces, EV’s are still projected to reach 40% of total passenger car sales in the U.S. by 2030. More optimistic forecasts say they could top 50%.
