DENVER — Gov. Jared Polis today signed an executive order outlining a suite of initiatives and strategies aimed at supporting a transition to zero emission vehicles
“Our goal is to reach 100 percent renewable electricity by 2040 and embrace the green energy transition already underway economy-wide,” said Governor Jared Polis. “Today’s Executive Order will strengthen our economy and protect the wallets of consumers across the state. As we continue to move towards a cleaner electric grid, the public health and environmental benefits of widespread transportation electrification will only increase.”
Colorado has taken significant steps toward the transition to electrified transportation, for passenger cars and heavy-duty vehicles such as buses. The state offers a $5,000 tax credit for passenger electric vehicles (EV)s; partners with the private sector to build fast charging stations along Colorado’s major highways; allocates a portion of Volkswagen settlement funds to support vehicle electrification; and has adopted a goal of 940,000 EVs on the road by 2030. The state is also a signatory to the Regional Electric Vehicles for the West (REV West) Memorandum of Understanding which creates a framework for collaboration in developing an Intermountain West Electric Corridor. The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission recently adopted Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards. Today’s announcement builds upon these past successes in order to achieve the goals set by the state, achieve our climate targets and reap the billions of dollars in economic benefits.
The executive order includes the following directives:
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Create an interdepartmental transportation electrification workgroup, to develop, coordinate and implement state programs and strategies to support widespread transportation electrification across the state.
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The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shall develop a rule to establish a Colorado Zero Emission vehicle program, and shall propose that rule to the Air Quality Control Commission no later than May 2019.
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The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shall revise the state Beneficiary Mitigation Plan, which describes how the state will allocate nearly $70 million received in trust funds due to the settlement of the federal Volkswagen emissions case. The revised plan will focus all remaining, eligible investments on supporting electrification of transportation, including transit buses, school buses, and trucks.
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The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) shall develop a department electric vehicle policy and plan designed to assure that state transportation investments and programs support widespread transportation electrification aligned with the articulated goals and strategies outlined by the above mentioned workgroup.
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