Wyoming, a state mainly comprised of sagebrush and desert, is currently looking at legislation that would phase out sales of new electric vehicles (EVs) by 2035. The proposed resolution is being sponsored by Senator Jim Anderson and has support from several top Republican legislators.
Wyoming’s oil and gas industry is a large contributor to the state’s economy. Oil and gas production has created thousands of jobs in the state, and the industry is an important source of revenue. Some business groups worry that a transition to EVs will be too expensive for consumers.
However, Wyoming lawmakers say phasing out new EVs is necessary to protect the state’s oil and gas industry. They argue that the reliance on oil and gas for transportation is essential to the state’s economy.
Wyoming’s legislators are concerned about the environmental impact of EVs and the safety of disposing minerals in EV batteries. They are also worried about the state’s lack of EV charging infrastructure.
Wyoming’s lawmakers are also responding to other states’ bans on sales of new ICE vehicles. California, for example, recently banned the sale of new ICE vehicles after 2030. A few other countries, including Quebec, Iceland, Denmark, and Canada, have also announced plans to ban fossil-fueled vehicles by the end of the decade.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California issued an Executive Order calling for the phaseout of fossil-fueled cars by 2035. He has also proposed a $10 billion investment in EVs.
Other states, including Vermont, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, have passed similar laws. Meanwhile, Colorado’s governor Jared Polis has proposed an electric car mandate by 2050.
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