{"id":2131698,"date":"2023-12-22T12:45:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-22T17:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-delays-ev-mandate-vote-over-near-statewide-power-outage\/"},"modified":"2023-12-22T12:48:22","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T17:48:22","slug":"maine-delays-ev-mandate-vote-over-near-statewide-power-outage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-delays-ev-mandate-vote-over-near-statewide-power-outage\/","title":{"rendered":"Maine postpones EV mandate vote due to widespread power outage"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaine-delays-ev-mandate-vote-over-near-statewide-power-outage%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2131698&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>A Powerful \u2064Storm in Maine Delays Vote on Electric Vehicle\u2064 Mandates<\/h2>\n<p>A fierce \u200cstorm that struck Maine \u200don Monday caused a massive power outage, leading to the\u2063 postponement of a crucial vote on \u200celectric vehicle\u2063 mandates by the Board of Environmental Protection. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hundreds-evacuated-as-vanuatu-braces-for-second-cyclone-in-2-days\/\" title=\"Hundreds Evacuated as Vanuatu Braces for Second Cyclone in 2 Days\">storm brought heavy rain<\/a>\u2063 and floods to 14 out of 16 counties, prompting Governor Janet Mills to issue \u200dan emergency order.\u2064 As trees toppled \u200donto power lines\u200b and towers collapsed, numerous counties were left without electricity. While Central Maine Power managed to restore power to 92% of its customers by Thursday evening, the BEP decided to indefinitely postpone its meeting.<\/p>\n<h3>Controversial Guidance for Hydrogen Tax Credit Released by Treasury<\/h3>\n<p>The BEP had scheduled a \u2063vote\u2062 on an electric vehicle mandate for Thursday, inviting residents to Augusta, Maine, to provide\u200d their input before the\u200b decision. However, the situation worsened due to the flooding of the\u2064 Kennebec River, which runs through the city, making travel difficult in addition \u2064to the power outage.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed rule would require that 43% of new car sales in 2027 be zero-emission \u2062electric vehicles,\u2064 with the\u2063 mandate increasing to 82% by 2032. Republican lawmakers have\u200c expressed their opposition to\u200d the rule, sending a letter to the board urging them\u200b to reject the proposal, which did not originate \u200dfrom the \u200bstate legislature.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Putting aside\u2064 concerns about the petition process that allowed this,\u200c the decision by the BEP to proceed with the petition is extremely concerning, as this significant\u2062 shift will harm\u200c our economy and jeopardize our mobility rights,&#8221; stated Republican state Senator Lisa Keim, expressing her concerns \u200babout the mandate before the vote was postponed.\u200d Keim also \u200bspeculated that since not all \u200bcar manufacturers produce \u2063electric vehicle models, certain brands would be prohibited from selling \u200bcars in Maine.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\">The Washington Examiner<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Last month, the U.S. Department \u200cof\u200c Energy issued a press release\u200b to \u200c&#8221;correct the record about electric vehicle \u200csales,&#8221; \u2064highlighting a 20% decrease in EV prices in June compared to\u200b the previous year. The department also emphasized that consumers should consider the lower maintenance and \u2064fuel costs associated with electric vehicles when making \u200dpurchasing\u2064 decisions.<\/p>\n<p>In November, a total of 112,421 plug-in vehicles\u2062 were sold, marking a 30% increase from November 2022. However, electric vehicles accounted for less than 10% of\u200b all light-duty vehicle \u2062purchases nationwide.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2064 How can stakeholders in Maine collaborate to address concerns and create a supportive environment for electric vehicle adoption in light of \u2064the postponed vote<\/h2>\n<p><span>  S vote on electric vehicle mandates in light of \u2062the ongoing recovery efforts. This delay has left stakeholders and environmental activists anxious about \u2064the\u2062 future of electric vehicle adoption in \u200cthe state.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed electric vehicle mandates aimed to accelerate the \u2064transition from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles in Maine. The mandates would have required automakers to \u200bsell an increasing percentage of electric \u200cvehicles in the state, \u2063with a\u200d target of\u2062 50% by 2030. This \u200cambitious goal aligns with global \u200befforts to combat \u2062climate change and\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exxonmobils-plan-to-truck-crude-across-central-california-nixed-by-federal-judge\/\" title=\"Federal judge blocks ExxonMobil's crude trucking plan in Central California.\">reduce greenhouse gas \u2062emissions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters of the mandates argue that they are\u2063 crucial to \u2062combatting climate change and\u2062 improving air quality \u200din Maine. Electric vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/landmark-climate-study-says-melting-arctic-wont-lead-to-more-severe-cold-weather\/\" title=\"Landmark Climate Study Says Melting Arctic Won\u2019t Lead to More Severe Cold Weather\">reducing greenhouse gas emissions<\/a> that contribute to\u200c global warming. Furthermore, electric vehicles are more energy-efficient and have lower operational costs, making\u2063 them a logical choice for cost-conscious consumers in the long \u2063run.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the mandates raise\u2064 concerns about the impact on the traditional automobile industry and consumer choice. Some argue that mandating electric vehicle sales\u200d could\u200b lead to job losses in the fossil fuel industry, \u2064which plays a significant role in Maine&#8217;s economy. Additionally, critics\u200c claim that electric vehicles \u200cmay\u2062 not\u200b be suitable for all consumers due to limited range and charging infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>The postponement of the vote due to the \u2063powerful storm has \u2062only \u200dheightened the debate around electric vehicle mandates in Maine. While \u2064environmentalists express\u2063 disappointment, others see this as an opportunity to reconsider and refine the \u2062proposed mandates. The delay allows the state to assess the infrastructure and resources required to support \u200ca transition to \u2064electric vehicles, as well as address \u2063concerns \u2063raised by opponents.<\/p>\n<p>Maine has made commendable efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tesla-joins-gm-ford-in-slowing-ev-factory-ramp-as-demand-fears-spread\/\" title=\"Tesla, GM, and Ford slow EV factory ramp due to spreading demand concerns.\">promote electric vehicle\u2064 adoption<\/a> in \u200brecent years. The state offers a variety of incentives such as \u2063tax credits, grants, and rebates to encourage consumers to purchase electric vehicles. However, without the implementation of mandates, these incentives may\u2063 not \u200cbe sufficient to drive\u2064 the widespread adoption of\u2064 electric vehicles needed to address climate change and improve air\u2064 quality.<\/p>\n<p>As Maine gradually recovers from the devastating \u200bstorm, it is essential for\u200c stakeholders to come together and engage in a constructive dialogue about the future of electric vehicle mandates. \u2062The \u2062state\u200c needs a comprehensive and strategic approach to\u2063 bolster the infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, address concerns raised by opponents, and create\u2064 a supportive \u2062environment for consumers to choose electric vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>The postponed vote serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities and challenges that Maine, like many other states, faces \u200din \u2063its efforts to transition to clean transportation. It also emphasizes the need for strong leadership and unified efforts in addressing these challenges. The decision on electric vehicle mandates\u200b will have a\u2063 lasting impact on\u200d the\u200b state&#8217;s\u2064 environment, economy, and public health, making it crucial to proceed with careful \u200cconsideration and collaboration.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the powerful storm that hit Maine and \u200bthe\u200d subsequent power outage \u2062led to the postponement of a crucial vote on electric vehicle mandates. This delay highlights\u200b the ongoing debate surrounding the adoption of electric vehicles and the \u200cneed for a comprehensive approach to address concerns and drive sustainable change. As Maine rebuilds and recovers, it is essential for stakeholders to work\u200b together to create a resilient and sustainable future for the state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A powerful storm in Maine caused a massive power outage, leading the Board of Environmental Protection to delay a vote on electric vehicle mandates. Heavy rain caused floods in 14 out of 16 counties, prompting an emergency order from Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME). Falling trees knocked down power lines, leaving affected counties without electricity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2131699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2131698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2131698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2131698"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2131698\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2131699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2131698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2131698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2131698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}