A pair of bills designed to minimize emissions in the transportation sector are being introduced in Connecticut.  One would introduce new emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold in Connecticut.  The other would incentivize the purchase of electric vehicles in the state.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection released a report finding that Connecticut can significantly improve air quality and public health by adopting new emission standards for medium and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicles offered for sale in Connecticut beginning in 2026.  

For almost 45 years, DEEP says Connecticut has failed to meet federal health-based air quality standards for ground-level ozone (smog), subjecting generations of Connecticut residents to adverse health and economic impacts. Poor air quality exposure worsens acute and chronic respiratory problems such as asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and other lung diseases.  Ridgefield state Senator Will Haskell says this past year, Connecticut experienced 21 days of unhealthy levels of ozone, and documented some of the highest monitored values on the east coast.

The transportation sector is responsible for 67% of the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), a key component of smog. MHD vehicles—which include trucks, buses, and smaller delivery vehicles—account for as much as 53% of NOx emissions, despite being only 6% of the on-road vehicle fleet. The transportation sector is also the largest source of statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at 37%, and as DEEP’s most recent GHG Emissions Inventory found, emissions from that sector are increasing, when they must decline by roughly one-third in this decade if the State is to meet its GHG emissions reduction target for 2030. MHD vehicles are responsible for 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.