Governor Shumlin has released for public comment the Climate Cabinet’s Draft Vermont Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Action Plan (linked below). This plan is an important step to meeting the commitments the Governor made in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) he signed with seven other governors to put 3.3 million ZEVs on the road by 2025. ZEVs include pure battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. The partner states are California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
“Building a robust market and infrastructure for these ultra clean and efficient vehicles will make Vermont and our nation more prosperous by saving drivers money on transportation costs, encouraging economic growth, and reducing motor vehicle pollution impacts on public health and the environment,” Shumlin said.
RELATED STORY: Vermont joins zero emission vehicle action plan
The Draft Vermont ZEV Action Plan complements the Multi-State ZEV Action Plan, which was released by the eight ZEV MOU states on May 29. Building off of the Multi-State ZEV Action Plan, the key actions in the Draft Vermont ZEV Action Plan cover three main areas:
- Build the market
- Provide consistent codes, standards and tracking
- Improve the experience
The Draft Vermont ZEV Action Plan lists state-specific actions and strategies to grow the ZEV market in Vermont, identifies state leads for each action, and establishes timeframes for each action.
“The steps in this draft Action Plan will help Vermont to meet its air quality, public health, and climate change goals, and will also provide numerous economic benefits,” said Deb Markowitz, Climate Cabinet Chair and Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources. “For instance, implementing these strategies will provide a more diversified range of vehicle fuels to Vermonters, which helps to insulate Vermont families from volatile shifts in petroleum prices.”
A copy of the Draft Vermont ZEV Action Plan is available at http://www.anr.state.vt.us/anr/climatechange/ZeroEmissionVehicles.html
Written comments may be submitted on or before July 11, 2014 to Deirdre Ritzer at [email protected] or Vermont Air Quality and Climate Program, One National Life Drive – Davis 2, Montpelier, VT 05620-3802.
Source: Shumlin's office 6.9.2014