So, I just heard that Gov. Phil Scott decided to hit the brakes on some major regulations in Vermont. Like, we’re talking about rules that would have made car manufacturers sell 35 percent zero emission vehicles by 2026. That’s a big deal, you know? Well, apparently, Scott thought it was best to pause these rules because he was concerned about how it would affect dealers and the lack of charging stations in the state.
In an executive order released on a Tuesday afternoon, Scott basically said, “Hold up, let’s take a breather here.” The rules, known as Advanced Clean Cars II and Advanced Clean Truck Rules, were supposed to help Vermont reach its carbon reduction goals. But Scott felt that forcing car manufacturers to meet these requirements without the right infrastructure in place was a bit too much. Can’t really blame the guy for wanting to slow things down, right?
The plan was to increase the percentage of electric vehicle sales every year until gas-powered cars were completely phased out by 2035. Seems like a good idea in theory, but Scott felt it just wasn’t realistic given the current circumstances. And you know what? Legislative leaders agreed with him when it came to heavy-duty trucks. But when it came to passenger cars and light trucks, they weren’t too happy about hitting the pause button. Climate activists were definitely not on board with this decision. They saw it as a step back in the fight against climate change.
