March 31, 2022
Western Resource Advocates today welcomed Gov. Steve Sisolak’s announcement that Nevada will join a multistate memorandum of understanding committing to work collaboratively to advance and accelerate the market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
“We applaud Governor Sisolak for this important step that recognizes the need to reduce the harmful fossil-fuel emissions from medium- and heavy-duty trucks in Nevada that contribute to climate change,” said Cameron Dyer, Western Resource Advocates’ managing senior staff attorney in Nevada. “Nevada’s transportation sector is the state’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and a primary contributor to the unhealthy air pollution that disproportionately harms low-income communities located near highways and industrial areas. We hope Nevada’s move to join the multistate coalition will be followed by further action to increase the number of zero-emission trucks, vans, and buses on our roads.”
By joining the multistate memorandum, Nevada joins other states in committing to a goal of having 100% of all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales be zero emission vehicles by 2050, with an interim target of 30% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2030. A beneficial next step would be for Nevada to adopt an Advanced Clean Trucks rule, to further reduce air and climate pollution. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles powered by diesel emit a much higher amount of carbon pollution and local air pollutants on a per-vehicle basis than passenger vehicles.
According to Nevada’s most recent inventory report, the transportation sector accounts for the greatest percentage of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, at 36% in 2019. Without significant policy action, the report notes, fossil-fueled vehicles will continue to be the largest source of climate pollution in the decades ahead. Finding ways to accelerate electric vehicle adoption will therefore be crucial in helping Nevada reach its climate goals.
