Representative Mike Levin Introduces Legislation to Promote Zero-Emission Vehicles, Expand Charging Infrastructure on Public Lands
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) introduced the Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act, legislation to promote the use of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by expanding charging infrastructure on public lands across the United States and converting National Park Service (NPS) and United States Forest Service (USFS) fleets to ZEVs. U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced the Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act in the Senate.
The transportation sector is the single largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions that drive the climate crisis, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Light-duty vehicles, including passenger cars and light-duty trucks, account for 60 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions within this sector. The Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and combat the climate crisis by encouraging the use of ZEVs.
“Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector are destroying our planet, polluting the air we breathe, and driving the climate crisis,” said Representative Levin. “It is imperative that we expedite the transition to cleaner cars and expand the charging infrastructure they require. We can either embrace Zero Emission Vehicles and the clean energy jobs they create, or let other countries take the lead and reap the economic reward. I think we should lead, and I’m thrilled to join Senator Cortez Masto in that effort.”
Representative Levin is a longtime clean-energy advocate who has fought to combat that the climate crisis and push the United States to a clean energy future. Earlier this year, Representative Levin introduced the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2019, which would set a federal ZEV standard to boost the market for battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
How the Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act works:
The bill would establish a Green Spaces, Green Vehicles Act Initiative, wherein the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the National Park Service (NPS), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) would:
- Form agreements with companies and non-profits to secure electric charging and hydrogen fuel cell infrastructure for National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service lands
- Acquire zero-emission vehicles and shuttle busses for National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service fleets
- Promote the availability of zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure on National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service lands
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