Support Reducing Vehicle Emissions Today to Protect the Planet

Public Comment Period closes Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 5:00 pm

On Friday, July 21, 2023, CT’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection released strong regulations designed to reduce air pollution and greenhouses gas emissions from cars and trucks.  There is a 30 day public comment period which closes Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 5:00 pm.  It is critical that DEEP and the Regulatory Review Board hear from you!  The strongest action you can take is to submit a personal comment in support of the regulations.  

VERY IMPORTANT – There are two sets of regulations being considered – one for cars (light duty vehicles) and one for trucks (medium and heavy duty vehicles.)   

HOW YOU CAN HELP

1. Submit a public comment
2. Copy the template below into a Google or Word Document – feel free to edit it to make it your own!
3. Feel free to use the talking points below for ideas
4. Include your organization name or letterhead if you are affiliated with one
5. Email your written comments as a PDF or Word document with the subject line “Advanced Clean Cars II and Medium and Heavy Duty Emissions Standards” to Mobile Sources Group at deep.mobilesources@ct.gov no later than Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at 5:00 pm
6. Please include your faith or religious community
7. Please include that you support both of these sets of regulations at the top of your letter
   1. Advanced Clean Cars II
   2. Medium and Heavy Duty Emissions Standards & Heavy Duty Omnibus Regulations
8. IREJN also has a sign-on letter – right now, we are looking for faith communities or their Environmental Teams, and religious or lay leaders to sign our letter.  You can read the letter here. 
9. Individual public comment is ESSENTIAL.  Even if you sign the letter, please also submit a public comment. 

Comment Template letter:

Re: Transportation Emissions Regulations

• Advanced Clean Cars II
• Medium and Heavy Duty Emissions Standards & Heavy Duty Omnibus Regulations

Dear Commissioner Dykes,

My name is [INSERT NAME] and I live at [INSERT ADDRESS].  I am a [INSERT FAITH] and I am a member of [INSERT FAITH ORG, IF RELEVANT].  It is from this faith perspective that I am writing to you today in support of two important sets of regulations regarding transportation emissions: the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations and the Medium and Heavy Duty Emission Standards and Heavy Duty Omnibus Regulations. 

[Insert your own message here. Talking points are below.]

  I strongly urge the state of Connecticut to adopt these regulations in 2023, so that they can be implemented in the earliest possible year, which is 2027.  As a person of faith, I believe that we have a moral obligation to protect the planet and all of its inhabitants, ensuring clean air, clean water, and clean land for all. 

Thank you for your time.

Very best,

[YOUR NAME]

**************************************************************

Talking points you could  include in your comments (you don’t have to use all of them!)

AIR QUALITY & PUBLIC HEALTH

• The entire state of Connecticut is in federal non-attainment of air quality standards, per the National Ambient Air Quality Standards set for by the Environmental Protection Agency.  Connecticut has some of the highest asthma rates in the country and four of our counties receive an F for ozone levels from the American Lung Association.

• The transportation sector is a major source of air pollution and disproportionately contributes to nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM2.5), and is a major contributor to ground ozone pollution. These pollutants are extremely harmful to public health, and pollution from cars and trucks have been linked to illnesses such as asthma/respiratory diseases, cancer, low birth weight, and birth defects.  

• According to studies on clean cars and clean trucks by the American Lung Associations, implementing these regulations will significantly improve public health and will help Connecticut avoid thousands of missed school days, tens of thousands of asthma attacks, and almost two hundred and fifty missed work days. 

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Transportation accounts for 39% of our greenhouse gas emissions and our state is NOT on track to meet the overall climate goals set forth in the Global Warming Act 2030.  

• According to the Connecticut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory report, it is estimated that the implementation of zero-emissions regulations for cars will help reduce greenhouse gasses by more than 39 million metric tons, while the zero-emissions regulations for trucks will reduce greenhouse gasses by 1.48 million metric tons. 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

• The negative impacts of transportation pollution are felt more strongly in Black, Latino, and Asian-American communities, which have been overburdened with pollution due to years of discriminatory practices.

REGULATIONS & MARKET

• It is from this faith perspective that we wish to express our strong support for Connecticut’s adoption of  the proposed California Light Duty Vehicle Emissions Standards and proposed Medium and Heavy-duty Emission Standards for 2027-2035 before the end of 2023. It is critical that Connecticut adopt these regulations by the end of 2023, so that they can be implemented in 2027.  Adopting these regulations by the end of 2023 will help ensure that Connecticut does not miss a model year and the associated environmental, public health, and economic benefits. 
• Connecticut joins Rhode Island, Maryland, New Jersey, and New Mexico in announcing its intention to adopt new standards. Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont adopted standards in 2022 – joining these states helps to create a unified market.

IREJN also has a sign-on letter – right now, we are looking for faith communities or their Environmental Teams, and religious or lay leaders to sign our letter.  You can read the letter here.   HOWEVER, individual public comment is ESSENTIAL.  Even if you sign the letter, please also submit a public comment.