MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • September 24, 2023
Maine’s mandatory 45% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions looms, and the Advanced Clean Trucks program is necessary for the state to hit this target. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, while only comprising around 5% of the vehicles on our roads, contribute more than a quarter of climate-damaging transportation emissions. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule will never force a Maine business to purchase a particular vehicle. Instead, it sets a standard for manufacturers. Under the rule, Maine would gradually transition to clean vehicles over the next decade – only 15% of trucks on the road in 2035 would be zero-emission. This means that our loggers and long-haulers can continue using the trucks they trust for years to come, while proven electric vehicles like delivery vans, school buses and refuse trucks can be on a faster track to clean air and cost savings. ~ Emily Green, Conservation Law Foundation