How many gallons of gasoline are pumped in your city each year? Your city officials can’t tell you, because they don’t have the data. They don’t know which of their investments to reduce transportation emissions (such as EV charging infrastructure, public transit, e-bikes and e-scooters, EV ride & drives, and education campaigns) are having an impact on the city’s gasoline sales.They also don’t know which residents living near gas stations are exposed to the highest levels of carcinogenic benzene vapors.

On March 9, the Washington State Senate joined the House in passing SB 5811, legislation which enables Washington to require automakers to stock a certain percentage of zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) at dealerships within the state. Gov. Inslee strongly supports the legislation and is expected to sign it shortly. 

On February 10, the Washington State House Transportation Committee, headed by Rep. Jake Fey, held the country’s first-ever hearing on a bill to require all new cars sold in the state to be electric starting with model year 2030.  

Washington Rep. Nicole Macri has introduced HB 2515, the Clean Cars 2030 bill, with nine co-sponsors. The bill, drafted with assistance from Coltura, would require all model-year 2030 or later passenger and light-duty vehicles sold in Washington state to be electric. People could keep, sell, and purchase model-year 2029 and prior gasoline vehicles without restriction. Emergency response vehicles and vehicles over 10,000 pounds, such as farm equipment, would be exempt.

Diesel trucks represent about 5% of all vehicles on the road, but more than 20% of all transportation emissions. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is preparing to issue a regulation requiring medium and heavy-duty trucks to transition to zero-emission vehicles. As proposed, the Advanced Clean Trucks rule would have only resulted in 4% of trucks on the road being zero emissions by 2030. However, in response to community outcry, CARB is now looking to strengthen the rule. To learn more and add your voice to the call for a more aggressive zero-emissions requirement, visit https://www.electrictrucksnow.com/.

Coltura's Gasoline Breakup video is one of 50 short films chosen from more than 800 to compete in the Mobile Film Festival ACT NOW on Climate Change, presented in partnership with YouTube Creators for Change and the United Nations. The film with the most views during the contest period wins. The contest ends November 19, so please take a moment to vote by watching Coltura’s Gasoline Breakup video now, and share with friends. Help us win the grand prize -- a grant to make a new film!

Twenty-two states have sued the Trump administration over its unprecedented revocation of the authority of California and the states that follow its lead to set zero emission vehicle and fuel economy requirements for automakers. Trump has also announced plans to roll back the Obama-era EPA rules strengthening fuel economy.   

Many cities are declaring climate emergencies, yet continuing to purchase fossil fuel vehicles for their city fleets. Coltura’s webinar featuring expert panelists Andrea Pratt of Drive Clean Seattle and Sarah Reed of the Electrification Coalition, provided education on strategies for addressing this issue. Thanks to the 64 city officials and advocates who attended!   A recording of the webinar is available here.

California has appropriated $1.5 million in its 2019-2020 budget for a study of strategies to achieve carbon neutrality in the transportation sector, including the transition to zero-emission light-duty vehicles. This study represents a pioneering effort to plan the phaseout of sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles. Coltura helped organize and lead the coalition that supported the study through its various iterations in the Assembly. Congratulations and thanks to Assemblyman Phil Ting for shepherding this budget item through, and for his gasoline phaseout advocacy.