This was written by North Carolina state organizer, Chelsea Lyons:
I moved to North Carolina in the summer of 2015, and remember being stunned to find that NC is covered with fast-paced highways and an overpopulation of cars and trucks. I grew up around cornfields and back roads—a slower lifestyle with less traffic.
As a mom of a toddler, I find myself paying close attention to how exhaust fumes from cars and trucks impact our daily lives. With the increase of extreme weather events, like the wildfires from Canada, I’m forced to find new ways to protect my family.
The transportation sector is largest source of climate pollution in the US. It’s made up of light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. Medium and heavy duty (MHD) vehicles account for roughly 6.5 percent of on-road vehicles. Yet, they are responsible for 34.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
In October of 2022, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 271 to implement the Advanced Clean Trucks rule (ACT). North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) oversees the rule. The ACT program will require NC to transition to electric vehicles to promote the Biden administration’s zero carbon emission goal by 2050.
On June 26th Secretary Jennifer Granholm from the Department of Energy (DOE) began her summer road trip tour to present the new initiatives announced this fall by the Biden administration. Secretary Granholm eagerly provided information about how we can expand the power grid to allow for new power stations to be built every 50 miles along major highways near exits. This major infrastructure change will relieve anxiety for electric vehicle owners who strategically map out power stations.
A study from the Research Triangle Institute suggests that the adoption of ACT will provide significant improvements in the health burdens of vulnerable communities and will significantly reduce NOxand PM2.5 emissions over the next 25 years. Why is this important?
Emissions from cars and trucks can cause serious health effects such as respiratory distress, cardiovascular disease, asthma attacks, and more. One out of every ten children in my state have asthma. And it is especially difficult to breathe during the hot summer months.
Our families need a stable environment to thrive. Cleaner cars and trucks keep our children safer.