Maine BEP Advances Elimination of Gas Powered Vehicles

Unelected bureaucrats unmoved by the appeals of Maine citizens struggling to survive

AUGUSTA - Despite the overwhelming opposition of citizens and small businesses to the adoption of the ?California Rule? electric vehicle proposals, three of the five unelected Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) regulators have asked staff to prepare for adoption of the rule change initiated by 150 signatures from environmentalists. The final BEP vote will be held before the end of the year.

Under the proposed Rule 127-A petition, car dealers would be subject to mandatory electric vehicle (EV) sales. It would require:

43% of new sales in the 2027 model year be electric vehicles, and
82% new sales by the year 2032 be electric vehicles.

Currently, Maine only generates about 5% sales from electric vehicles. This will ultimately eliminate gas-powered vehicles by artificially making them too expensive.

?House Republicans joined with 1,600 citizens to testify on the devastating impact ?California Rule? proposals will have on our way of life, our economy, and our quality of life,? said House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham. ?Public testimony was overwhelmingly against proposals that will eliminate consumer choice, mandate higher auto prices, and economic hardship for no appreciable impact on climate change. Do we really want to live in a world where public opinion doesn?t matter and the government forces people to enrich special interests??

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