People the world over have rejected EV's and the Maine legislature still has its head in the sand. See passage below highlighted in bold. Wind and transmission pusher Troy Jackson knows the public doesn't want EV's and knows that the public's reasoning goes far, far beyond lack of charging stations. However, if subterfuge artists are allowed to legislatively ordain that Maine be carpeted with charging stations, their argument for EV's will then take on "But, but, but, we spent all this money on charging stations so we must now mandate increasing numbers of EV's otherwise we will have wasted money." ANY ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICIAL THAT MANDATES EV's MUST BE VOTED OUT. EVERY CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR ELECTION MUST BE ASKED WHETHER THEY WILL VOTE FOR AN EV MANDATE AND/OR A CHARGING STATION INCREASE. If the answer is yes or if they refuse to answer, fire them.

Proposal to give lawmakers final say over Maine’s electric vehicle standards sails through committee

The committee unanimously approved a bill declaring electric vehicle rules to be the responsibility of lawmakers and not the Board of Environmental Protection, an appointed citizen board that rejected EV rules

March 22, 2024
Stephen Singer
Press Herald

EXCERPTS (emphasis mine)

An absence of controversy would contrast with thousands of public comments submitted to the board from environmentalists who say Maine must act immediately to curb tailpipe emissions – a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions – and opponents who accused state officials of seeking to impose mandates limiting vehicle choice.

Legislative Republicans called a news conference Thursday to praise the board’s decision, while denouncing a petition signed by 150 Mainers that prompted the board to consider clean car standards. Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart, R-Presque Isle, said the petitioners “basically abused the system” to force the issue when it should be decided by the Legislature.

The proposed EV standards would have required increasing the share of zero-emissions and near-zero emissions cars and trucks sold in Maine to 51% of all vehicles sold in 2028 – up from 43% as previously proposed – and 82% of all vehicles sold in 2032.

Critics, including Republican lawmakers and car dealers, said Maine lacks enough chargers, particularly in the state’s vast rural stretches, to support EVs.

That was a central argument by Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Aroostook, who has said he supports “clean cars” and favors incentives to promote installation of EV charging stations. He and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, signed onto the bill, making what had been a Republican initiative a bipartisan bill backed by the Legislature’s top Democrats.

The Maine Climate Council’s annual report last December included an ambitious goal of 219,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2030. Fewer than 12,500 were on the road at the end of 2023, the report said.

Please read the full article at  https://www.pressherald.com/2024/03/22/proposal-to-give-lawmakers-final-say-over-maines-electric-vehicle-standards-sails-through-committee/

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