SR0296 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0296 LRB102 16230 MST 21610 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, To protect the millions of Americans who live near roadways or live with a lung disease like asthma and to curb carbon pollution from the transportation sector, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must set a stronger clean truck standard; and

WHEREAS, Heavy-duty vehicles on the road release 45 percent of the U.S. transportation sector's nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution, which creates ozone, the main ingredient in smog, and 57 percent of the transportation sector's fine particulate matter pollution; and

WHEREAS, Two-thirds of all Illinois residents live in areas that are designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as areas that fail to meet minimal air quality health standards for ozone under the provisions of the Clean Air Act; and

WHEREAS, Fine particulate matter is associated with an increased risk of premature death, hospitalization, and emergency room visits, and numerous respiratory and cardiovascular diseases are linked to ozone and fine particulate matter, such as asthma, decreased lung function, heart attacks, and lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, A 2020 study estimated that more than 20,000 people die prematurely every year in the United States as a result of the health burden from motor vehicle pollution on roads and highways; and

WHEREAS, Residents living near ports, railyards, warehouses, and busy roads are exposed to such high rates of heavy-duty vehicle pollution that experts have labeled these areas "diesel death zones" because asthma rates and cancer risks are so drastically elevated; and

WHEREAS, Living within just one third of a mile of a highway or close to ports, warehouse distribution centers, or other freight corridors is devastating for lung health and can lead to early death; and

WHEREAS, Low-income and communities of color comprise many of the residents in these regions, causing significant aggravated health problems and risks for these Americans; and

WHEREAS, In Illinois, transportation has recently overtaken fossil fueled power plants as the largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the largest contributing factor to global warming and climate damage; and

WHEREAS, Poor and minority communities bear much of the brunt of climate change in Illinois, including damage from flooding and excessive heat, in addition to already being burdened by air pollution; and

WHEREAS, Trucks and buses only account for 4 percent of vehicles on the road, and yet, they are responsible for nearly 25 percent of total transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions; emissions from trucks are the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases, and the number of truck miles traveled on the nation's roads is forecast to continue to grow significantly in the coming decades; and

WHEREAS, A strong clean truck standard will expand the market for new, advanced technologies and create jobs; and

WHEREAS, Over a quarter-million people were employed in the clean vehicle industry in 2019; and

WHEREAS, Electric trucks and buses, regardless of who owns them, can reduce electric bills for all customers by using the electric grid to charge when electricity demand is low; and

WHEREAS, Today, at least 70 electric truck and bus models are on the market, and manufacturers are expected to make many more new models commercially available over the next decade; and

WHEREAS, Electric vehicles are being produced in Illinois, and Rivian has a contract to produce 100,000 electric delivery vans within this decade at a factory in Normal; and

WHEREAS, Navistar International, headquartered in Lisle, is already manufacturing and selling electric school buses and has begun building a facility to manufacture and sell electric trucks as soon as 2022; and

WHEREAS, The Multi-State Medium and Heavy Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), organized by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), calls for 30 percent of new truck and bus sales to be zero-emission by 2030 and 100 percent zero-emission by 2050; and

WHEREAS, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia, have issued an MOU outlining a coordinated effort to expedite the deployment of zero emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles; and

WHEREAS, This multi-state initiative is vital for enabling the policies with regulations, and it fosters cost-effective vehicle electrification needed to achieve state climate commitments and air quality improvement goals; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Governor to sign the Multi-State Memorandum of Understanding calling for 30 percent of new truck and bus sales to be zero-emission by 2030 and 100 percent zero-emission by 2050.