Electric Vehicle Push Topic Of GOP Lawmaker Forum In Southington

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A trio of GOP state lawmakers representing Southington are hosting a special forum on electric vehicles in response to Gov. Ned Lamont's recent pledge for all vehicles to be electric a decade from now.

State Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott; state Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-Wolcott; and state Rep. Donna Veach, R-Berlin, are hosting the forum at the Southington Municipal Center, 196 N. Main St., Thursday, Nov. 16.

It will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

At issue is Lamont's long-range plan to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by the 2030s.

In July, Lamont, a Democrat, issued a lengthy proposal to reduce air pollution and promote more environmentally beneficial transportation systems, all to combat climate change and pollution.

Among that plan was a goal to completely eliminate vehicles powered by internal combustion by 2035, with all vehicles being 100 percent electric.

“Connecticut and our neighboring states are taking decisive action to meet our climate pollution reduction targets,” Lamont said in July.

“Cars and trucks represent the largest air pollution sector in our state and these regulations are moving in coordination with commitments made by vehicle manufacturers to go all in on electrification.”

But many, including many legislative Republicans, have been critical of the measure, saying not enough has been done to prepare Connecticut for this push.

“The wholesale elimination of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 is a policy decision that a majority of Americans don’t agree with, yet Democrats here, using scary words such as ‘survival,’ aggressively insist on forcing Connecticut down California’s ideological regulatory rabbit hole no matter the financial cost to our state or the people who live here,” House Republican leader Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said in response to Lamont's proposal.

He said electric vehicles would be too costly for most residents.

“Promoting government-backed rebates, vouchers, and incentives, they continue to mask the issue of affordability of these vehicles while also downplaying the titanic effort to build out our charging infrastructure.”

Supporting a petition called "A Ban With No Plan," critics are urging folks to oppose Lamont's goal.

As part of this campaign, Republican lawmakers have been fanning out across the state to discuss the measure.

For more information on the "Ban With No Plan" campaign, click on this link.

For more information on Gov. Ned Lamont's electric vehicle proposal, click on this link.

For more information on the state's Republican response to Lamont's plan, click on this link.