August 29, 2024
New rules protect Arizona's air quality while maintaining economic growth
Phoenix – Today, the White House Announced Conditional approval of new rules to allow new offsets to create clean air credits in Maricopa County. Congressman Ruben Gallego (Arizona 3rd District) They released the following statement:
“Thanks to CHIPS and the Science Act, Maricopa County has become a national hub for semiconductor and clean energy manufacturing, creating good-paying jobs and growing our economy.” Councilman Gallego said:“But regulations and bureaucracy threaten to thwart many of these projects, which is why I asked the Administration to work with the county to find solutions that allow development to continue while protecting air quality. I am pleased that the Administration responded to my call by announcing this new rule today.”
The new rules are: Rule 205allows companies to earn credits by swapping or converting diesel vehicles to electric vehicles. Manufacturers and other new emitters can then buy those credits to offset their future emissions, helping to get new projects off the ground while protecting Arizonans' air quality.
In February, after multiple conversations with Maricopa County leaders, Congressman Gallego sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging it to use administrative flexibility to work with Maricopa County to more effectively curb air pollution without unfairly penalizing Maricopa County.
