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Sunday, June 4, 2023

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A Wisconsin group criticizes two of its members of Congress, a new report says the Phoenix area cannot meet its groundwater demands, and Nevada's sporting community sends its priorities to the governor.

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The Senate aims to get the debt limit spending bill to President Biden's desk quickly, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis makes a campaign stop in Iowa, and a new survey finds most straight adults support LGBTQ+ rights.

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Oregon may expand food stamp eligibility to some undocumented households, rural areas have a new method of accessing money for roads and bridges, and Tennessee's new online tool helps keep track of cemetery locations.

New Mexico Latest to Consider Adoption of Clean Car Rules

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Tuesday, May 3, 2022   

New Mexico may soon join more than a dozen other states in adopting California's clean car standards.

The statewide and Albuquerque environmental-air quality boards will hold a joint hearing beginning Wednesday on the proposed Clean Car Rule. As written, car dealers would need to sell a certain percentage of low- and zero-emission cars.

Tammy Fiebelkorn, New Mexico representative for the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, said if adopted, residents who drive an electric vehicle could benefit from cleaner air and also save money.

"There's no oil changes, there's no moving parts, there's no maintenance schedule," Fiebelkorn outlined. "It's good for the environment, but it's also really good for my pocketbook."

New Mexico is facing some of the worst impacts of climate change, with firefighters currently battling the biggest wildfire in the U.S.

Last month, a report by the American Lung Association found transitioning to zero-emission transportation and electricity would provide the state savings of almost $3 billion in health care by 2050 and save nearly 300 lives.

New Mexico is slated to receive $38 million over the next five years from the U.S. Department of Transportation to strategically deploy electric-vehicle charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network to expand access and reliability.

Fiebelkorn pointed out it will make all the difference for those who drive long distances.

"And eventually we're going to be at the point where I can drive my EV in any part of New Mexico and get there without worrying about not being able to charge," Fiebelkorn noted.

The governor's office has said the clean car rules could mean getting rid of almost two million metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions by 2030, or the equivalent of eliminating 200,000 cars from the roads for one year.

Disclosure: The Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, Public Lands/Wilderness, and Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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