On Friday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced the enactment of legislation that would help the state reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector.
The legislation, Public Act 22-25, contains several measures aimed at reducing emissions from the transportation sector, Lamont’s office said, while improving air quality and health outcomes for residents, as well as mitigating impacts from the climate crisis.
“This historic law does so many great things that will benefit the residents of Connecticut, improving air quality and health outcomes while also helping to mitigate the climate crisis,” Lamont said. “This is another great example of Connecticut leading on climate, particularly at a time when continued state leadership in this area is critical, given the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in West Virginia v. EPA, and certain members of Congress stymying passage of substantial climate legislation.”
The transportation sector accounts for 67 percent of the emissions of nitrogen oxides, the governor’s office said. The legislation would authorize the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to adopt more stringent standards for medium and heavy-duty vehicles, which account for nearly 53 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions, despite being 6 percent of the vehicles on the road. The law would also change the Connecticut Clean Air Act by expanding existing programs and establishing new programs centering on electric vehicle use and improving air quality.
“The measures in this unprecedented law mean cleaner air, better health outcomes, and reductions in our greenhouse gas emissions,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “It will ensure that Connecticut residents and businesses can access clean, affordable passenger vehicles, trucks, school buses, transit buses and electric bikes, with a focus on communities overburdened by air pollution. In addition to the important health benefits to residents, the measures in this law provide much-needed tools in our effort to make significant reductions in GHG emissions from the transportation sector, an area in which we need to make significant progress in order to get back on track to meet our 2030 GHG emissions target.”