From the SEMA Washington, D.C., office
Opinion sections of newspapers nationwide are beginning to see an influx of articles from aftermarket leaders concerned about electric vehicle (EV) mandates. Over the last several weeks, op-eds and letters to the editor were published in the following newspapers:
Additionally, The Wall Street Journal's editorial board weighed in on Maryland's move to distance itself from California's heavy-handed, costly policies that scrap all non-EV options for consumers: "[Maryland Gov. Wes Moore] is showing fellow Democrats an off-ramp from their EV blunder. How many more will take it?"
SEMA can help you submit a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. To get started, contact us at SEMAHQ@SEMAHQ.org.
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"The Free State"? Not Until Maryland Exits California's Road to EV Mandates
[This op-ed was originally published in The Baltimore Sun.]
Voters nationwide have made their voices heard loud and clear--the time for government mandates around how Americans spend their time and live their lives is over. For countless Americans and Marylanders, that includes choosing a car that fits their needs, not California's. That means no more EV mandates in the Free State.
Maryland made a grave mistake when it chose to follow California's footsteps and tether our emission goals with those set by California's Advanced Clean Cars II regulations--a strict and unattainable EV mandate that bans all internal combustion engine vehicles. The unrealistic standards of this decision put our State--one with very different needs and realities from California--on a trajectory that we can't maintain and one that voters don't want.
Gov. Moore's executive order delaying this mandate is an acknowledgement of this mistake, but it does not rectify it. As a state, we must go further. We need to completely decouple from California's standards once and for all; it is simply not feasible without creating a major disruption in the consumer automotive market. This would disproportionally impact citizens on fixed income, and those that rely on their vehicles to commute to and from work.
There will be loud voices that decry this option as bad for the environment. But any opponent who views this commonsense decision purely through an environmental lens is missing a huge piece of the picture. This isn't just a conversation about emissions – this is a conversation about vehicle choice, consumers, small businesses, and employees who have been and will continue to be hurt if we don't take action. It's about what's possible if the automotive aftermarket industry is freed to develop non-EV solutions to reducing carbon emissions.
Because prominent among the small businesses hurt by Maryland tethering itself to California is our state's thriving specialty automotive aftermarket. This is an industry that generates $3.24 billion in economic impact in our State alone. That translates to supporting 14,946 jobs, $1.19 billion in total wages and benefits, and $530.24 million in taxes paid. This industry, one that many people have never even thought of, touches every community across our State. It is made up of the local businesses that employ your neighbors and residents working on their cars over the weekend. It is a quintessential local economy, but it is all at risk if we continue to push an EV mandate that will make it obsolete.
It's also among our most innovative industries, positioned to unleash breakthroughs in cleaner-burning internal combustion engines, hybrids, hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and biodiesel. None of this happens unless the handcuffs of EV mandates are removed.
The requirements laid out by California's Advanced Clean Cars II call for a seismic shift in the automotive industry. Small businesses that employ Marylanders in good-paying, blue-collar jobs will be forced to close.
Beyond the profound business implications, average Maryland residents will be stuck paying much higher costs for a new vehicle, all at a time when taxes and the cost of living are already squeezing families. It is too much to ask of our voters.
As a delegate, it is my responsibility to support legislative and policy solutions that benefit Maryland now, prepare us for the future, and respect the will of the voters. Maryland's decision to tie ourselves to the Advanced Clean Car II regulations accomplishes none of these goals--in fact, it hinders them.
But we can fix our mistake. We can respect the will of the voters who made it clear that they are turning against EV mandates. We can recognize once and for all that tying our future to the political will of California is not the right or the smart path for Maryland. And we can acknowledge that it is not our place as a government to tell people what cars they can and cannot drive.
My colleague, Del. Dana Stein, a Democrat, introduced legislation to delay Maryland's implementation of these unrealistic measures. That was a step in the right direction. Gov. Moore's executive order is another. However, these are just steps and ultimately merely kick the can down the road. We need a clean break. A complete decoupling from California's Advanced Clean Cars II standards is the right thing to do for our economy, our voters and our future. I urge the governor and my fellow lawmakers to finally take real action.
Del. Kevin Hornberger represents District 35B and the residents of Cecil County.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
