Tesla Charging Station at the Fort Drum Exit on the Turnpike. Photo by Jamie Beery.
By: Sharon Aron Baron
Hoping to create a master plan for electric vehicle charging stations on Florida’s highways, Representative Dan Daley recently filed a house bill.
HB943 by Daley (D-Coral Springs) in conjunction with SB452 by Senator José Javier Rodríguez (D-Miami) requires the Department of Transportation, in coordination with Office of Energy within DACS & Florida Clean Cities Coalitions to develop and adopt a master plan for electric vehicle charging stations on state highway system and requires that plan to be updated annually.
Daley who represents Coral Springs, Tamarac, Sunrise and Plantation, said the average passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or CO2, per year — and with over 14.2 million registered vehicles in the state, not including the millions of tourists that visit each year, these vehicles create a substantial amount of pollution.
The harmful emissions are being released into our atmosphere and absorbed by our oceans, which is leading to drastic changes. As Floridians, we rely heavily on the health and well being of our environment Daley said.
“I am honored to sponsor this legislation to provide more opportunities for Floridians to drive cleaner and more efficient vehicles, to protect our beaches and the Everglades for years to come,” he said.
Senator Rodríguez said if we’re smart, we don’t just tackle the effects but the causes of climate change – and that means taking on pollution caused by fossil fuels.
“Electric vehicles produce zero direct emissions and, because they are more efficient, indirectly reduce consumption on an energy grid that’s mostly fossil-fueled – so by moving forward on electric vehicle infrastructure we’re tackling air pollution, addressing climate and producing jobs.”
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