RICHMOND, CA – Yesterday, the City of Richmond City Council in California boldly embraced a clean future, unanimously backing a resolution to help end California’s reliance on fossil fuels. The vote on the resolution came just days after an oil spill at the Chevron Refinery in Richmond risked calamity in the San Francisco Bay.
Sponsored by Council member and former Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, the resolution called on the State of California to set a goal for 100% of new vehicle sales to be Zero Emission Vehicles by 2030, phasing out greenhouse gas-emitting vehicles in the state. This goal is consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) guidance that we have until 2030 to transform our economy and the way we live to avoid the most catastrophic and irreversible effects of the climate crisis.
You can read the full resolution here.
“Richmond has experienced firsthand the devastating public health and environmental consequences that come with fossil fuel extraction, so it’s only fitting that we lead the state in creating something better: a 100% ZEV standard by 2030,” said Richmond Councilmember Gayle McLaughlin. “Let us strive to live to see the world’s last oil spill. As vehicles are the #1 contributor of greenhouse gases in California, we must start there.”
With so many clean cars and parts already manufactured in California, if the ZEV 2030 standard is adopted, the Richmond rail yard could be on the forefront of transporting clean cars across the country and around the world.
The City of Richmond’s resolution is the first step in an effort by ZEV2030.org to push California to be the United States’ green leader.
“Greening our cars is an effective, large scale way to reduce our greenhouse gases – by replacing gasoline with renewably generated electricity, we can eliminate up to 40% of our current emissions,” said Doug Linney, the Founder and Executive Director of ZEV2030.org. “California always leads the way, and it’s time we showed the rest of the country that a 100% ZEV 2030 target is both achievable as a practical matter and necessary to prevent climate calamity.”
The measure passed 6-0, with one councilmember not present.
ZEV2030.org is reaching out to additional cities around the state to pass similar resolutions similar to Richmond’s with the ultimate goal of a statewide standard adopted by Governor Gavin Newsom, the state legislature, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). It’s also a movement to build support for the standard among clean car manufacturers and suppliers, non-profits, businesses, and local and elected leaders. Anyone who is interested in getting involved should visit ZEV2030.org and email Molly Yoon at molly@zev2030.org to get plugged into the ZEV future.
Press courtesy of ZEV2030.org
Featured Image: Volta EV charging station in Richmond, California. Image courtesy Volta