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| White House takes action to force government workers to travel via electric vehicle, rail | |||
| 2023-12-16 | |||
| [FoxNews] The White House issued new guidance requiring federal government employees to prioritize using electric vehicles (EV), trains and public transportation options when conducting official business. The actions, which the White House said fulfilled President Biden's promise to "lead by example" on tackling climate change, seek to take advantage of the federal government's annual business travel purchasing power of $2.8 billion and status as the nation's largest employer. Overall, government employees on official business took more than 2.8 million flights, made 2.3 million vehicle rentals and took 33,000 rail trips last year. "These operational changes will accelerate the clean transportation transformation, increase good-paying union jobs and create healthier communities," the White House said in a statement Thursday. "President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan aims to reach net-zero emissions from overall Federal operations by 2050, including a 65 percent emissions reduction by 2030," it added. "Through new Federal employee travel guidelines issued today, the Biden-Harris Administration is advancing this goal by directing Federal agencies to prioritize the use of sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally." Under the guidance, government employees must rent an EV on official travel when the cost of the EV is less than or equal to the most affordable comparable gas-powered vehicle available. Additionally, employees must opt for EVs when using taxis and ride-share platforms when they are cost-competitive.
"This will save taxpayer money and reduce pollution that jeopardizes people’s health and fuels the climate crisis," the White House said.
Shortly after taking office in 2021, Biden issued the goal of ensuring 50% of total domestic vehicle purchases are electric by 2030, a first-of-its-kind goal cheered by green energy industry groups and climate advocates. Since then, the administration has pursued various regulations that, while not explicitly mandating electric vehicles, would create strong financial incentives for manufacturers to produce more zero-carbon options and for consumers to transition to those options. In April, the EPA proposed the most aggressive federal tailpipe emissions rules on light- and medium-duty emissions ever crafted. If finalized and implemented, 67% of new sedan, crossover, SUV and light truck purchases, up to 50% of bus and garbage truck purchases, 35% of short-haul freight tractor purchases and 25% of long-haul freight tractor purchases could be electric by 2032, the White House projected. Months later, in July, the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued its most aggressive fuel economy standards ever, an action critics say would increase consumer costs. "We’re transforming clean energy development that’s [creating] good-paying jobs, including union jobs, in all of America," Biden remarked last month. "We’ve already attracted over half a tri- — we’ve attracted half a trillion dollars — a half of trillion dollars in private sector investment for my Investing in America agenda in clean energy and advanced manufacturing. "We’re just getting — and we’re just getting started. And we really are. We’re just getting started." Related: Electric vehicles: 2023-12-10 How China's buses shaped the world's EV revolution Electric vehicles: 2023-12-01 EVs Have 80% More Problems Than Traditional Gas Vehicles, Consumer Reports Finds Electric vehicles: 2023-11-18 Biden invokes wartime powers to fund electric heaters as he cracks down on gas appliances | |||
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #8 Sure. They can't even make them come into work at the office buildings, and we're gonna provide them with electric cars to not come to work in. Cause you know that's where this is gonna go... |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2023-12-16 18:09 |
| #7 Winter should be fun |
| Posted by: Frank G 2023-12-16 08:58 |
| #5 I have no further questions: mrogers091 1 day ago I live in this region. To be clear, these dams account for 8% of the electricity in our state and almost all the electricity in the counties on the rivers. There is no proposed replacement for that lost electricity other than vague references to alternative energy. The majority of people in this area are Republicans, there have been multiple "hearings" on this topic and democrats have ignored all objections. Additionally, the decline in the salmon population appears to have more do to with ocean conditions and over fishing by the Russians and Chinese than with having to climb fish ladders in order to spawn. Also, democrats in the region, and I am one, mostly don't agree with this either. Our objections to our party leaders have been ignored. The people doing this have a very specific agenda and it basically boils down to giving a few tribal groups what they want, even if that harms everyone else. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2023-12-16 03:30 |
| #4 Forcing themselves to live by their own rules. They really are true believers. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2023-12-16 02:53 |
| #3 'scrubbing' green votes. Biden admin creates pathway with eco groups to shutter energy source serving millions of Americans |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2023-12-15 13:26 |
| #2 Leather Cadillacs. I recommend leather Cadillacs. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2023-12-15 13:25 |
| #1 Top Biden aide's spouse involved with group pushing electric vehicle transition |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2023-12-15 13:23 |