To the editor:

Pollution from the cars, trucks and buses we drive or ride in every day kills the same number of people that die in car accidents each year. To protect public health, we must seek cleaner, more sustainable transportation solutions.

Passing legislation to achieve a Clean Car Standard in Virginia is the starting point. Achieving this would help Virginia to increase the number of electric vehicles for sale in our state, meet consumer demand for EV’s that are already high and cut harmful pollution in the process.

Without a standard in place, manufacturers will continue sending zero-emission cars to other states which are already working to cut emissions from the transportation sector. This will leave Virginia stuck with the impacts of harmful tail pipe pollution as customers are left with minimal choices outside of gas guzzling cars.

Having already worked to pass some of the nation’s boldest climate and clean energy policies in 2020, the General Assembly must act this year to address pollution from the transportation sector, which accounts for half of the Commonwealth’s carbon emissions.

Only by significantly reducing all sources of harmful pollution can we fully address the climate crisis and secure a healthy future for the next generation.

-Joel M. Temme, Alexandria