AQCC hears public comment on Advanced Clean Cars II Rule

DENVER — On Wednesday, July 19th the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) heard public comment on the introduction of the Advanced Clean Cars II Rule.

CoPIRG Public Health Advocate Alex Simon delivered the following testimony on behalf of the rule:

“Good evening, my name is Alex Simon and I’m a public health advocate with CoPIRG, the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, where we advocate for common sense solutions that advance the health and wellbeing of all Coloradoans. 

On behalf of our members across Colorado, we are calling for the adoption of the full Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC 2) rule to accelerate the pace of electric vehicle sales and increase EV choice and quality for consumers. It’s critical the state adopt the rule in 2023 to avoid unnecessary disruptions to the supply of electric vehicles in Colorado by creating a gap between the Zero Emission Vehicle rule and Advanced Clean Cars II. 

The ACC2  rule is a critical piece of the state’s overall strategy to reduce pollution from the transportation sector. Because transportation is one of the leading reasons for our state’s air pollution crisis, it’s imperative we advance these solutions as quickly as possible.

The ACC2 rule also ensures consumers in Colorado have the opportunity to buy more options and higher quality electric vehicles. Not only does ACC II require dealers to sell more EVs, it also requires certain quality controls within EVS, such as a longer level 2 charging cord, minimum mileage requirements and battery durability standards. These quality control measures ensure EVs that go to states with ACC II will have all these features and therefore are better products for consumers. 

Colorado consumers, businesses, and governments alike deserve the best quality and best choice as new EVs come on the market. The recent downgrade of the North Front Range’s ozone problem from “serious” to “severe” last year highlights the ongoing risk posed to our communities from transportation-related ozone pollution. 

We strongly encourage the state to adopt the full ACC II in 2023 and maximize benefits both for consumers and air quality here in Colorado. Thank you for your time.”