Buckbee Seeks Pause On Electric Vehicle Mandate

HARTFORD – State Rep. Billy Buckbee (R-New Milford) spoke during a news conference on Wednesday morning at the Legislative Office Building regarding the proposed mandate on gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Lawmakers raised several concerns about the mandate, its potential impact on consumers, energy costs, and infrastructure viability.

“There are certainly merits that electric vehicles bring to the table, but the issue comes when the state government forces all residents and businesses to purchase only electric-powered cars and trucks. If this were to become the law of our land tomorrow, Connecticut’s electric grid could not handle the power it would take to charge all those vehicles. Further, most families are not able to afford a new vehicle to conform to these fast-paced regulation mandates,” said Buckbee, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Energy & Technology Committee.

The impending ban would take effect in 12 years, starting in the year 2035. According to Buckbee, there has been no concrete plan put forth that would show how the state can add enough charging stations to allow residents, commuters, and freight trucks to charge their batteries within that same 12-year time frame.

“The road map to creating the infrastructure needed to support all electric vehicles is too murky for the state to go forward at this point in time. I believe that more collaboration is needed between our electric distributors, state agencies, and the legislature to craft a more sensible plan to provide consumers a sound choice when they purchase motor vehicles in Connecticut,” said Buckbee.

The legislature’s Regulation Review Committee is expected to vote on the proposed regulatory changes on November 28. It’s unclear what course of action the committee will take, but the committee can accept, reject, or push the issue for greater legislative review – allowing all legislators to weigh-in. Buckbee believes this issue should be debated by both chambers of the General Assembly, providing an opportunity for residents to contact their representatives to make their voices heard.

A less aggressive approach to protecting Connecticut’s air and environment was also posed at Wednesday’s news conference. Instead of adopting the California regulations, Buckbee and his fellow Republicans suggested that Connecticut follow the lead of 32 other states and adopt EPA standards.

To learn more about this issue or other matters related to state government, you can visit Rep. Buckbee’s website at RepBuckbee.com.

###