At a time when we should be building upon the strides made during the Biden Administration to protect our environment, the Trump Administration has instead launched an all-out assault on our nation’s clean energy goals—withdrawing from the Paris Climate agreement, expanding coal mining and oil drilling, and shutting down key air quality regulations in states like California.
Now Republicans in Congress are taking things a step further; the House of Representatives recently passed Trump’s so-called “big beautiful bill” that would eliminate key tax credits to promote electric vehicles (EVs) that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act. To add insult to injury, the Trump Administration would make it even more expensive to own one of these vehicles, instituting a tax on EV and hybrid owners. With this reckless budget bill headed to the U.S. Senate, now is the time for New York to recommit to our ambitious climate goals and continue to assert ourselves as a state leader when it comes to creating a cleaner environment for the next generation.
The Inflation Reduction Act was a landmark piece of legislation, one of the most crucial climate bills in our history and a key driver of jobs and U.S. manufacturing. Over $843 billion has been invested in clean energy projects since the bill was signed, with most of the benefits going towards Red States. In fact, “more than three-fourths of that spending is expected to occur in Republican-controlled districts.” Supporting the Inflation Reduction Act should not be a partisan issue, everyone should be celebrating the impacts of the legislation on manufacturing and climate goals nationwide.
One of the key wins in the Inflation Reduction Act was the inclusion of tax credits to reduce barriers towards purchasing EVs. These tax credits sought to level the playing field, reducing higher costs to make EVs accessible to more Americans and making the transition towards clean energy alternatives more efficient than ever before. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “U.S. motor gasoline and diesel fuel consumption in the U.S. transportation sector accounted for about 31% of total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions” in 2023. A transition to EVs could mean a substantial cut to our carbon footprint nationwide.
These credits came at a crucial time as we look to increase US participation in the EV market. In April, China saw a 32% increase in EV sales compared to last year, Europe saw a 35% increase. In North America, sales in that same timeframe decreased over 5%. The US has been falling behind the rest of the world and the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits could have been the long-term solution we needed to bring the US up to speed and promote additional domestic manufacturing. But now Republicans have made it clear their intent is to undo the progress made and turn their backs on EVs at a critical moment.
New Yorkers shouldn’t have to pay the price of the President’s vindictive policies. That’s why I’ve introduced legislation alongside Assemblymember Micah Lasher (S8113) that would codify into state law tax credits at the same amount as current federal levels towards the purchase of EVs. This would mean up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new EV, and $4,000 for a used car. If passed, we would be sending a message that we will not abandon our climate goals and we will continue to embrace new and emerging technologies here in New York.
If the Trump Administration is trying to reverse decades of work to improve air quality, it’s only right that New York fights back. The time to act is now for a cleaner future for all New Yorkers, and this bill would do just that while sending a message to the rest of the nation that New York will lead the way at a time when the federal government is intent on moving backwards.
Jeremy Cooney is the chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee and represents the 56th District of New York.
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