Legislators want final say over Maine’s electric vehicle rules

Democratic leaders and a group of Republicans seek to shift oversight of Maine's clean car standards from a citizen board to state lawmakers.

March 12, 2024
Stephen Singer
Press Herald

EXCERPTS

The Legislature’s two top Democrats and a group of minority Republicans want to take control of Maine’s electric vehicle rules.

A bill proposed Tuesday would give lawmakers, not a citizen board, the final say on clean car standards meant to curtail vehicle tailpipe emissions, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

The standards, which are still being developed, would require 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.

The new bill would classify those regulations as “major substantive” rules that require approval by the Legislature, rather than “routine technical” rules handled by the Board of Environmental Protection.

The BEP has scheduled a meeting March 20 to consider the EV rules, which have drawn criticism from Republicans and car dealers over the relatively high cost of the vehicles and a scarcity of vehicle chargers, particularly in Maine’s large rural areas.

The legislation would apply retroactively to May 22, 2023....................

...................Republicans have focused their opposition to the EV rules on the BEP, a seven-member citizen board appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Legislature. It should be denied the authority to change Mainers’ vehicle choices, GOP lawmakers have said........................
........................The bipartisan legislation was presented by Rep. Michael Soboleski, R-Phillips. It’s co-sponsored by Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Aroostook, and House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland. Others who signed on to the legislation include House Republican leader Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham of Winter Harbor, and other Republicans, including Reps. Reagan Paul of Winterport and Katrina Smith of Palermo, and Sens. Russell Black of Franklin and Peter Lyford of Penobscot.

Jackson said he’s “always in favor of the Legislature doing its job.”.........................................

........................He said in an interview he supports “clean cars” and favors incentives that will “let technology catch up” with more and better EV charging stations.................................

https://www.pressherald.com/2024/03/12/legislators-want-final-say-o...

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