New Mexico joins the club of 15 states who have adopted Clean Car rules. These rules are based on California’s emissions and fuel economy standards- the state environmental Improvement Board. Along with it is the City of Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board, that have all voted to adopt clean standards. Further following “a robust stakeholder engagement process over the past year.”
The clean car standards are about the zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) and low emission vehicle (LEV) standards. Here, the ZEV is about automakers selling high numbers of plug-in vehicles. And the LEV is about having reduced emissions of pollutants and other greenhouse gasses. These rules will be effective starting for the models on road from 2026.
👏👏👏 Thanks to @GovMLG and @MayorKeller for making NM a clean cars state! Your leadership on climate & a clean economy will benefit New Mexicans across the state for generations to come https://t.co/HNgO6LQcvT#NMCleanCars #CleanAir #NMPol #ClimateActionNow #ProtectPublicHealth pic.twitter.com/D0XAwcb3RY
— NMCleanCarsCleanAir (@NMCleanCars) May 5, 2022
The all-new Mexico Clean Cars Clean Air coalition has more than 35 nonprofit organizations, local agencies, businesses, and unions. These were supported in the rulemaking process. Dr. Virginia Necochea of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center said, “We applaud the administrations of Governor Lujan Grisham and Albuquerque’s Mayor Tim Keller for taking this important step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26% by 2025 in line with the Paris Agreement,”
Electrification
Furthermore, Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter, Ken Hughes said, “More than 900 New Mexicans submitted comments supporting these standards. The American Lung Association has found that electrification will save New Mexicans $3 billion and save 273 lives.”
Additionally, Aaron Kressig of Western Resource Advocates said, “We look forward to working with the state to build on this momentum and bring forward Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Cars II standards,” Transportation is the second-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, harming New Mexico’s air and environment. Transportation-related pollutants are linked to many adverse health effects, including decreases in lung function, inflammation of airways, aggravated asthma, increased risk of cancer, damage to the immune system, and neurological, reproductive, developmental, and other health problems.
“Clean cars make sense for New Mexico,” says Tammy Fiebelkorn of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project. “Clean cars will save us money, conserve gasoline, protect our health and help preserve our climate. The bigger we go on clean transportation, the larger the benefits will be. We’re looking forward to working with the Lujan Grisham administration on further policies to clean up our cars and trucks.”
In early 2019, Gov. Lujan Grisham announced that New Mexico would join the U.S. Climate Alliance. It is a bipartisan coalition of 23 governors committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing by at least 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2025 – a goal consistent with the Paris Agreement.