Arizona Elected Officials and Clean Vehicle Advocates Say It’s Time for Cleaner Cars and Getting U.S. Clean Car Standards Out of Reverse
PRESS STATEMENT
February 25, 2021
Contact: Alex Steele, (970) 306-5280, asteele@causecp.org
Phoenix, AZ – Local Arizona officials say it’s time for our U.S. Senators and other federal leaders to push for a transition to cleaner and pollution free vehicles, including rolling back the rollbacks that left the state without the authority to rein in vehicle pollution.
Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and Tempe Councilmember Lauren Kuby along with Phoenix Electric Auto Association President Jim Stack and Moms Clean Air Force State Organizer Columba Sainz called for the reinstatement of the U.S. clean car standards and a transition to pollution-free vehicles that protect our health and drive our economy. The virtual press conference was hosted by Moms Clean Air Force.
Pollution from cars and trucks, including heavy-duty vehicles, is devastating air quality and threatening our health. Speakers called on Senators Krysten Sinema and Mark Kelly to help Arizona lead the way in the national transition to a cleaner and eventually pollution-free transportation sector that will spur the economy and create thousands of jobs in Arizona. Such a transition will also reduce the air pollution that threatens our health, including respiratory disease like asthma. Over 130,000 children and over 550,000 adults already suffer from asthma in Arizona.
“Our leaders in Washington understand the devastating effect climate change is having on Arizona’s children and families, particularly driven by vehicle pollution,” said Mayor Woods. “In Maricopa County alone, more than 340,000 adults and 80,000 children suffer from asthma. We need to set tougher clean car and truck standards and expand the market for electric
With the transportation sector now the largest source of carbon pollution in the nation, all the speakers emphasized that we need policies that limit the pollution from cars, trucks, buses and other heavy duty vehicles. Increased air pollution is linked to making COVID-19 more deadly, particularly for Latino and Native communities and other communities of color across Arizona.
“Low-income and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by air pollution and the climate crisis,” said Sainz, of Moms Clean Air Force. “About 1 in every 10 Arizona youth suffers from asthma, a number that is even higher amongst our state’s Latino communities and other communities of color. By moving to clean transportation, we’ll be able to provide better public health for our children and address these disparities in our communities.”
Arizona communities also need economic opportunity that’s often fleeting but could be spurred by a transition to clean vehicles. Investing in electric vehicle infrastructure, for instance, including building out charging stations and electricity grid updates will create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs in the construction sector. Nationwide, 288,000 jobs are associated with clean vehicle technologies and Arizona could expect 9,700 new jobs by 2030 if strong clean car standards are in place. Arizona families could also save an average of $2,800 at the gas pump.
“Investments in clean vehicles and clean vehicle infrastructure will boost the clean energy economy and provide sustainable, well-paying jobs locally,” said Tempe Councilmember Lauren Kuby. “The transportation sector provides unlimited opportunities to create good jobs and economic growth. Expanding electric vehicles could create 1 million manufacturing jobs in the auto industry. These are good-paying jobs that support families, including here in Maricopa county and throughout Arizona.”
For a video of the press conference, click HERE.
###
About Moms Clean Air Force: Our mission is to protect children from air pollution and climate change. We envision a safe, stable, and equitable future where all children breathe clean air. We are a community of over 1,000,000 moms and dads united against air pollution – including the urgent crisis of our changing climate – to protect our children’s health. We fight for Justice in Every Breath, recognizing the importance of equitable solutions in addressing air pollution and climate change. For more information, go to https://www.momscleanairforce.org or follow us on Twitter @CleanAirMoms, Instagram @cleanairmoms, or Facebook.