Yuma, Arizona - Last week, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) approved the Statewide Transportation Electrification (TE) Plan to increase the deployment of zero-emission vehicles to just over 1 million by 2030.
“The shift to zero-emissions will save lives and reduce harms caused by polluted air. The American Lung Association 2020 ‘Road to Clean Air’ report found adopting a zero-emission transportation sector by 2050 could yield $1.5 billion in health benefits annually” said JoAnna Strother, senior director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Arizona. “The Statewide TE Plan prioritizes investments in cleaning up unhealthy emissions from the transportation sector, and the commission should next move ahead with rules to clean up the power sector.”
The transportation sector is the largest source of unhealthy emissions, and the TE Plan accelerates zero-emission vehicle adoption to maximize the health benefits of electrification. A recent American Lung Association poll revealed 75% of Arizona voters strongly support a transition away from fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas in favor of non-combustion energy and zero-emission transportation. Across the political spectrum, Arizonans support transitioning public fleets to electric vehicles.