TOLEDO, Ohio — A bipartisan panel of mayors, senators, U.S. representatives, Ohio's lieutenant governor and attorney general took the stage at downtown Toledo's One Government Center on Thursday, standing against regulations proposed by the EPA they say would severely hurt the state.
They faced a crowd of some 200 automakers and refinery workers, holding up signs saying "save our jobs" and "don't take away our cars."
The signs project fears that stem from potential new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency that would require automakers to significantly reduce emissions starting in 2027.
Experts said it would mean seismic changes to the auto industry, predicting 67% of all vehicles in production would be electric by 2032.
But this panel of democrats and republicans alike said it's something Ohio isn't ready for.
"First of all, it can't be achieved. In 2023, 554,575 automobiles were sold in Ohio, and 16,562 of them were electric. 2.99%," said Husted. "We have a federal law that's going to require that 67% of them be accomplished in just a few short years. Is that unrealistic or what?"
In the past few years, President Biden has been making strides to try to close that gap. Last April, he signed a bipartisan infrastructure bill that allotted some $7.5 billion in EV charging stations and $10 billion in EV batteries.
But leaders like County Commissioner Anita Lopez, a fellow Democrat, expressed concerns that even with investment, the county infrastructure isn't there to support such a massive increase so soon.
"We are now just getting internet and access to internet in rural communities, in central city communities," said Lopez. "How are we going to make EV vehicle chargers in the rural communities, in the central city? This has not been thought through."
State Representative Josh Williams (R, Sylvania) said that even if the chargers are there, the average American can't afford an electric vehicle.
"The single mother in our community working three jobs just to put a roof over her head can't afford a $70,000 electric vehicle," Williams said.
And what will happen to the oil refineries like Cenovus or Marathon? Local 500 was at the rally to show support as well, agreeing with these leaders that these EPA standards would be too much too soon.
Currently, the EPA's proposal is under review by the White House and they are expected to decide on these policy changes in March.