Harckham Bill On Zero Emissions Headed To Full Vote

PEEKSKILL, NY — Bills to move New York closer to a zero-emissions future is on their ways toward full votes by the state Senate and Assembly.

Sen. Pete Harckham, D-40th District, and Assemblyman Steve Englebright, D-District 4 said Tuesday that their respective bills — S2758 and A4302 — have moved out of committee.

The legislation will require all in-state sales of new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emission by 2035. It will also require all in-state sales of medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks to be zero-emission by 2045.

Similar sales of off-road vehicles and power equipment will also be expected to be zero-emission by 2035.

Harckham, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation, said the state needs to take decisive action right now.

"Requiring vehicles to be entirely free of carbon and other toxic emissions is the best way to ramp up our fight against climate change," he said.

Both Harckham and Englebright said they hoped the change-over to zero-emission vehicles could take place sooner than 2035.

To encourage the meeting of the zero-emission requirement, the legislation specifies that the state's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Climate Action Council and various state agencies, including the Public Service Commission, accelerate the development of affordable fueling and charging options for zero-emission vehicles, with a focus on ensuring access in low-income and economically disadvantaged communities.