Maine was on verge of adopting California EV mandates but power outage delayed vote

Maine was prepared to adopt California-led electric-vehicle mandates, but the vote had to be delayed due to power outages resulting from strong New England storms this week.

The Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP), which is charged with regulating pollution, voted in October to adopt California’s Advanced Clean Car Program, the Portland Press Herald reported.

If finalized, 43% of all vehicles sold in Maine would need to meet zero-emission standards by 2027, and that would increase to 82% by 2032.

”On December 19, 2023, Gov. Janet Mills declared a State of Civil Emergency for 14 Maine counties following a significant wind and rain storm that has left hundreds of thousands of people without power and that has caused significant flooding and infrastructure damage, including to town and state roadways,” BEP announced Thursday.

Mills, a Democrat, has pursued an aggressive climate agenda, which includes support for EV adoption.

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, issued a statement Tuesday criticizing BEP’s proposed rules.

“Forcing Mainers to purchase cars and trucks powered by electricity when our grid is insufficient, charging stations are few and far between, and a storm like yesterday’s would render 80% of cars useless is, to say the least, ill-advised,” Golden said.

Golden was one of five Democratic lawmakers who joined Republicans in voting for the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023.