A new Connecticut law that reduces carbon emissions in an effort to improve air quality has gone into effect.
The Connecticut Clean Air Act allows the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to demand stricter emissions standards for medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
Governor Ned Lamont said Connecticut needs to take aggressive action on climate change.
“The transportation section is where you see more asthma and more conditions that are impacting our underserved communities,” Lamont said. “That’s what we’re doing in terms of electric charging stations and that’s what we’re doing in terms of electric buses.”
The law will also make CT Transit and school buses more eco-friendly for riders.
“The ability to change over to electric buses will have a massive difference in terms of people being able to utilize it,” said State Transportation Commissioner Joe Giuletti. “It helps especially if we get the surges in ridership that we’re seeing now.”
Most of the 800 CT Transit buses will be converted to electric by 2032. It also allows the state to purchase zero-emission school buses for districts by 2040.
Transportation makes up 40% of the state’s carbon emissions.
Similar legislation has already been adopted in several Northeast states, including Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey.
