Industry professionals and advocates, including Cameron Steinback, climate justice program manager at Front and Centered, emphasized the program’s significance for climate justice and equity.

“Electrifying our transportation would benefit frontline communities who are disproportionately exposed to air pollution from diesel exhaust and oil extraction, which can lead to increased risk of heart disease, lung disease, and cancer,” Steinback said.

Front and Centered is made up of communities of color, Indigenous peoples, and low-income individuals on the frontlines of climate and environmental change.

The rebate program is set to transform EV adoption in Washington, backed by the installation of 5,000 new EV chargers statewide. Inslee noted that as EV prices continue to drop, the transition will become increasingly feasible for all residents…