On Tuesday, July 14, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management announced that 15 states and D.C. signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure 100% of all medium- and heavy-duty truck sales are zero emission trucks by 2050, accelerating the race toward electric trucks. In the short term, 30% of truck sales will be zero-emission trucks by 2030. Participating states are California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
“The MOU will go a long way toward slashing harmful diesel emissions and cutting carbon pollution,” the group said in a statement. “The transportation sector is the nation’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and also contributes to unhealthy levels of smog in many of the signatory states. Accelerating the electrification of trucks and buses is an essential step to achieve the deep economy-wide emission reductions needed to avoid the worst consequences of climate change and protect the health of millions of Americans.”