The New Mexico Environment Department has asked the federal government for millions of dollars in funds to deal with problems like climate change and air quality. The money would be used to improve roads and trucks along Interstate 40 that use low-emission vehicles.
In a press release, New Mexico’s Environment Secretary James Kenney said, “New Mexico’s bold vision for clean transportation connects Western states and our local communities along the new ‘Zero40’ corridor.” “New Mexico will build the transportation infrastructure needed for local tourism and regional business while cutting carbon emissions and other air pollutants one mile at a time if it gets the money it needs.”
The state wants to help set up gas stations for clean vehicles along I-40. At these sites, there would be places to charge electric cars and mobile hydrogen refueling stations. There would be three of these places in New Mexico: one near Albuquerque, one near Gallup, and one in Tucumcari.
And if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agrees to the grant, the project would get about $250 million for New Mexico. Both Arizona and Oklahoma are also trying to make I-40 a more modern highway. What the Environment Department calls the big picture goal is to “decrease cumulative greenhouse gas emissions by over 1.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent through 2050” in five states.
