Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has withdrawn his proposal to mandate future electric vehicle (EV) purchases, a decision leaving environmentalists flabbergasted. Even more surprising, the decision spurred by opposition across both parties.
Lamont had initially introduced the proposal four months ago, positioning it as a decisive measure to achieve climate pollution reduction targets.
Under this plan, Connecticut would have aligned its emissions standards with California’s, which requires all passenger vehicles to be electric by 2035, setting the most ambitious target of its kind in the nation.
However, this move faced significant opposition from both Republicans and Democrats.
Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly stated: “Common sense has prevailed.”
“The Governor’s decision to withdraw the regulations is a reasoned approach to address the growing concerns raised by working and middle-class families,” Kelly continued. “Adopting California emission standards which ban the sale of gas-powered cars is a substantial policy shift which must be decided by the General Assembly,”
Kelly also pointed out potential problems with the electric grid, stating, “There are too many questions regarding the capacity of our electric grid, the cost and location of grid improvements, and the negative impact on urban, rural and working poor families.”
He also emphasized the need for a more comprehensive approach, stating, “More than 90% of our pollution comes from outside the control of Connecticut. We need a national – and international – approach to improve our air quality. A state-by-state strategy will only prolong the attainment of cleaner air.”
Republican members of the Legislative Regulation Review Committee, which approves state agency regulations, played a pivotal role in opposing the EV mandate. Their concerns, coupled with those of their Democratic counterparts, led to the proposal’s withdrawal from the committee’s agenda.
RELATED: Electric Vehicle-Owning Journalist Dismayed to Find Huge Number of Chargers Unusable
Connecticut State Senator John Kissel, a GOP co-chair of the committee, asserted that such a life-changing decision should be made by the full state legislature, echoing the sentiment that it should be the people’s choice. Another Republican senator, Paul Cicarella, pointed out the absence of a concrete implementation plan for the proposed EV mandate.
Lamont’s plan not only mirrored California’s regulations but also aimed to make 75% of trucks and buses electric by 2035. The passenger car mandate was initially enabled by a 2003 Connecticut legislature bill linking the state’s clean air rules to California’s program. The mandate for trucks and buses was made possible by the 2022 Connecticut Clean Air Act.
This decision represents a setback for the EV industry and a surprise for environmentalists who had advocated for such mandates. While Connecticut’s General Assembly has been dominated by Democrats for years, the failure to advance these regulations has aligned the state’s environmental policy with less progressive states.
“Unfortunately, we will now lose one more critical year in which the environmental, health and economic benefits of this program are not enjoyed by Connecticut’s residents,” Charles Rothenberger, climate and energy attorney with Connecticut-based Save the Sound, told Fox News Digital.
Lori Brown, executive director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters said, “It is outrageous that members of the regulations review committee overstepped their bounds to roll back environmental progress and block important clean air regulations.”
“If our state fails to move forward, it will be due to partisan politics and not what is best for the people of Connecticut,” she continued.
However, conservative groups and the energy industry celebrated this development as a win for consumers. Connecticut Energy Marketers Association President Chris Herb expressed concern over the potential costs and readiness for an EV-only future.
“This is a victory for consumers who would have paid a big price tag for the state’s efforts to ban gas-powered cars and trucks in the future,” said Herb.
“However, the battle may not be over. It’s unclear what could happen next, but CEMA will continue to be vigilant in our opposition to this reckless policy,” he continued. “This is too much too fast, and we are not ready for an EV-only future.”
The fate of the proposal remains uncertain; it could be killed, watered down, or put up for a vote in the state legislature.
Despite the withdrawal, the debate over government mandates versus individual choice and market-driven innovation in the automobile industry is far from over in Connecticut. Governor Lamont’s office did not provide a comment on this decision.
RELATED: Electric Vehicle Maker’s Stock Price Tanks to All-Time Low After Painful News
