The Environmental Protection Agency has set new air pollution standards under the federal Clean Air Act for cars and light/medium vehicle models from 2027 through 2032 and beyond.

Georgia ranks 38th among states for average exposure of the public to particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less, according to America's Health Rankings. Experts believe the change will trigger a massive switch to hybrid or all-electric passenger cars over the next decade.

Cara Cook, director of programs at the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, said nurses are seeing firsthand the effects of tailpipe pollution on community health, as more people end up in hospitals and doctor's offices suffering from asthma and other diseases linked to breathing in dangerous air pollutants found in soot and smog.

"Research shows that traffic pollution is linked to premature death, lung cancer and asthma," Cook reported. "What we're seeing among nurses is that they're increasingly concerned about the transportation sector as a leading source of pollution."

According to the EPA, the new air quality standards will prevent more than 7 billion tons of carbon from being emitted, and save the country $13 billion in health care costs related to improved air quality. Experts said they expect the rule to be challenged in court by the fossil-fuel industry.

Chris Harto, senior policy analyst for Consumer Reports, said the move is a historic step toward cleaning up the transportation sector, bringing the nation closer to the Biden administration's goal of a 60% reduction in emissions from new vehicles by 2030 and increasing quality of life for people living in areas with high levels of vehicle traffic.

"They will deliver over $1 trillion in consumer savings, eliminate billions of tons of climate pollution and save thousands of lives," Harto asserted.

The Biden administration said once fully implemented, the new standards will save the average driver an estimated $6,000 in reduced fuel and maintenance over the life of a vehicle.

With school in full swing, many Arizona students will take the bus to school.

Earlier this summer, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded $900 million of Clean School Bus Program funding to more than 500 districts across the country, some of which came to Arizona.

Currently, Arizona has secured 155 electric school buses, according to the Electric School Bus Initiative.

Hazel Chandler, Arizona State field organizer with Moms Clean Air Force, said smaller school districts in the state received enough funding to replace half their fleets.

She added that school districts are now looking to alternative avenues to continue transitioning.

"Some of them are using utility money, a lot of them are using bond money," said Chandler. "So they might have gotten a couple, or maybe three of four initially - but then they love them so much, and the families and kids love them so much they just continue to approve them."

Chandler said electric school buses, or ESB's, are game changers for students with asthma as they eliminate tailpipe emissions.

She added that the buses are also quieter, meaning a less chaotic ride for bus drivers and students. Chandler said while the federal government has done its part, more can be done.

She contended states could invest more to ensure ESB's are a top priority.

Brittany Barrett - deputy director with World Resources Institute overseeing their ESB Initiative - said older, polluting buses have disproportionately operated in school districts with more people of color, low-income households, and in rural areas.

But data from the institute show that since 2022, most ESB commitments have been allocated to serve those at higher risk of poorer air quality.

Barrett said limited funding, rebates, and grants are still available - and encourages districts to act.

"There are different ways to deploy buses within their range capacity," said Barrett, "that can ensure that the benefits of this transition happen first to those communities who need it the most."

Kevin Matthews is the head of electrification with First Student, which has committed to electrify 30,000 electric school buses by 2035 - resulting in a reduction of over 1.6 million pounds of greenhouse gases.

Matthews said while ESBs may have a costlier initial price tag, the cost savings are undeniable.

"This is primarily driven by lower cost of fuel," said Matthews. "Lower liquid changes like motor oils, engine cooling, those types of issues. Less wear and tear on brakes. So this is a significant change in that area."




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The advocacy group CleanAIRE NC is offering a virtual training session Thursday to help North Carolinians tackle air quality issues in their communities.

With air pollution affecting health statewide, the session will equip participants with strategies to understand air quality and advocate for change.

Brittany Griffin, advocacy manager for CleanAIRE NC, said many residents may not know how to address the issues or do not realize how much air pollution affects their daily lives.

"The training is important just to raise awareness and get them more comfortable about being an advocate for cleaner air," Griffin explained. "It's also important to know that this is a right that is protected under the Clean Air Act."

According to the American Lung Association, more than 40% of Americans live in areas with unhealthy air pollution levels, including North Carolina. Griffin noted the training is open to everyone, regardless of their experience in environmental advocacy.

Griffin highlighted the importance of the session during election season when policymakers are paying closer attention to environmental issues. Participants will learn how to engage with elected officials and receive a manual to guide their advocacy efforts after the training.

"The manual will actually dive into deeper technical strategies for engaging with policymakers," Griffin pointed out. "What we'll cover during the training is really just how to do thorough research, prepare to understand policymakers' positions and their key issues."

The session will also emphasize building partnerships with environmental groups, community leaders and local businesses.


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The Colorado Department of Transportation is investing nearly $32 million to help local governments and other stakeholders transition to electric vehicles, including adding new electric buses to transit fleets.

Matthew Inzeo, communications director with the Colorado Department of Transportation, believes this initial investment will help set the stage for towns and cities to continue to add more electric vehicles in future years.

"Even though we're talking about vehicles by the dozens, it also indicates that our local transit systems are now in a position where they're ready to take these cleaner vehicles into their fleets," he said.

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority will replace ten diesel-fueled buses with battery-powered vehicles. Breckenridge will add seven, Winter Park and Avon will each add two, and Boulder, Fort Collins and Telluride will each add one new electric bus to their fleets. Nonprofits serving children and people with disabilities are also getting money to purchase electric vans.

Investments are also being made in the infrastructure required to power and maintain electric vehicles, including connecting new solar canopies to the electric grid, and adding more charging stations. Inzeo says these investments can help reduce dozens of trips currently made by car, and get polluting diesel buses off the roads.

"The technology has actually gotten to a place where they can be rolling around your city without polluting at all. That's an incredible win. And really just easy low-hanging fruit that we can finally go pick to make local streets and local communities have cleaner air," Inzeo continued.

Money for electric buses, new facilities and infrastructure comes from Colorado's Clean Transit Enterprise created in 2021, and settlement funds the state received from Volkswagen designed to offset the impacts of the company's diesel-emissions cheating scandal.


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