Biden Finalizes Approvals of Advanced Clean Cars II Waiver, National Greenhouse Gas Cuts Target
As the clock winds down on President Joe Biden’s term in office, his Administration is working overtime to finalize major rules designed to address the climate crisis, before the White House is handed over to an incoming president who calls climate change a “hoax”.
In particular, two actions stood out this past week.
Biden Delivers on Advanced Clean Cars II Rule
First, the administration approved California’s special Clean Air Act “waiver” authority to adopt its Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which aims to phase out the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in that state by 2035. League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis said, “Thanks to the Biden-Harris administration’s affirmation of California’s and over a dozen other states’ authority to clean up their air, the ACCII program will rapidly cut light-duty vehicle emissions, helping ensure that families in states across the country will breathe cleaner, healthier air. We know fossil fueled vehicles are major contributors to the carbon pollution exacerbating the climate crisis and increasing the risk of more extreme weather events, including hurricanes and heat waves, that further degrade air quality and put communities in danger. States like California are leading the way to lowering toxic tailpipe emissions for the health of people, the planet, and future generations.”
Biden Delivers on New Climate Target
Second, the Biden Administration released an updated greenhouse gas emissions target which aims to cut those emissions by 61-66% from 2005 levels over the next ten years. LCV’s Vice President of State Policy and Advocacy Bill Holland says, “This new climate target provides a clear north star for continued action and reflects the reality that the clean energy revolution that has been unleashed is here to stay and will be ramped up by states and cities because it is helping to lower costs and create good jobs, and is widely supported. We must continue to build on the historic climate progress made by the Biden-Harris administration. Thanks to state and local leadership, more than 40% of people in the U.S. already live in places committed to 100% clean energy and Governors must and will build on that progress in the years ahead. We commend the Biden-Harris administration for its historic leadership on climate and clean energy that centers good jobs and environmental justice. We pledge to work with the governors in the U.S. Climate Alliance whose commitment to reducing climate pollution even further ensures that we will continue to build a clean energy economy that works for us all.”
NCLCV applauds the Biden-Harris Administration’s determination to do everything it can to lock in forward progress on the climate crisis during the next four years.
