As a mother, soon-to-be-grandmother, daughter, caretaker, neighbor, landlord, dog walker, member of a faith community and active citizen, I stand in strong support of adopting the Advanced Clean Car II standard.

We must move forward to protect our air quality and eliminate the huge cost and burden that burning fossil fuels places on our children and our climate.

I was fortunate to find a reasonably priced, used, all-electric car five years ago. I love that I am no longer polluting the air every time I drive. I love that I no longer pay for oil changes, exhaust system repairs and all of the other maintenance issues associated with gas burning vehicles. And I especially love that I can fuel my car with clean, solar-generated electricity at a fraction of the cost of gasoline.

But it is not enough for a few of us to have this advantage. Everyone should be able to choose a zero-emission vehicle.

Together, we can work toward a brighter, more hopeful place for our children and grandchildren. I strongly urge the Board of Environmental Protection to adopt the proposed ACCII standards, which would save Mainers money, reduce harmful air pollution, and aid in Maine’s efforts to address climate change.

Kerry Read, South Paris