NJBIA Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer Ray Cantor issued the following statement regarding today’s Senate passage of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the U.S. EPA waiver authorizing California’s Advanced Clean Cars II ban on sales of new gas, diesel and traditional hybrid vehicles.  

Today’s vote follows the May 1 bipartisan passage of the same resolution by the House of Representatives. 

New Jersey is one of 12 states that committed to adopting the ACC II ban, which mandates that no new gas-powered cars be purchased in the Garden State by the year 2035, with increasing annual requirements of electric vehicle sales starting for model year 2027.  

“We thank the members of the Senate who voted pragmatically and with common sense to overturn California’s ban on sales of new gas cars and we look forward to the final measure getting to the President’s desk for signing.

“The California mandate, which New Jersey had chosen to follow, would remove basic freedoms of choice, exacerbate income inequality in our state and add greatly to New Jersey’s lack of affordability.

“New Jersey has been working toward reducing carbon emissions, as we should. We have seen organic growth in the usage of electric vehicles, also as it should be. But continuing efforts to mandate a ban of new gas-powered cars in such an expedited time frame would be to ignore feasibility, practicality and affordability in New Jersey.

“Our residents deserve better in these economically challenging times, and they should always have the freedom to choose. We can, and should, make our transition to cleaner transportation without unworkable mandates.”