Maine has rejected a proposed EV mandate in the state that would have phased in requirements for new vehicles to be zero emissions.
The Maine Board of Environmental Protection voted against the Advanced Clean Cars program, which would have forced 51 percent of new car purchases in the state to be electric by 2028 and 82 percent to be electric by 2032. The plan, which originally came out of California, faced widespread pushback from residents and stakeholders.
“I’ve talked with many of my nearly 8,400 constituents who would love to have efficient vehicles to drive in an effort to be more environmentally friendly but they just cannot afford them,” GOP state Rep. Jack Ducharme said, according to AP. “Mandating them either in the case of trucks or passenger vehicles will not change that dynamic.”
Maine Senate Republican Leader Trey Stewart said the regulators received about 1,800 comments from residents in the state, and the vast majority of them were not in favor of an EV mandate, pointing to the dearth of charging stations in rural Maine and the reliability of the vehicles in extreme cold.
Democrat Rep. Jared Golden said it was the right move.
Affordable transportation is a requirement, not a luxury, in rural Maine.
— Congressman Jared Golden (@RepGolden) March 20, 2024
Regulations must recognize reality: California-style emissions standards would impose logistic and financial hurdles that Maine isn’t ready to clear. The state BEP made the right decision to reject them.
While Maine took a stand against the mandate, more than a dozen states have adopted California's EV regulations, which require all new car purchases be electric by 2035.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who has made combatting climate change a top priority, has not yet responded to the decision.