Newsom’s plan to ban new gas-powered car sales by 2035 gets mixed reviews

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - In the wake of polluting wildfires, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to phase out the sale of all new gas powered cars and light trucks by 2035.

The plans would ask automakers to make and sell new zero-emission heavy trucks in California by 2045.

The order would not prevent Californians from owning or buying used gas-powered cars out of state.

Don Risdon owns a popular 76 Service station in Carpinteria.

He said he is willing to make changes but expects there to be a compromise.

"In the changing times you might see that I will change the dynamic of my business a bit and offer other alternative sources for propelling the car, maybe I would have electric stations, but I would think that in my lifetime that my service station would still be effective because there will still be automobiles that are gas-powered," said Risdon.

Oil industry workers referred comments to the Western States Petroleum Association or WSPA.

WSPA Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Tiffany Roberts said, "I think Californians have a lot to be concerned about with this executive order. First and foremost they should be concerned about the feasibility, but more importantly, I think families are going to want to understand if they can actually afford this, and ultimately how it's going to impact their way of life."

The Environmental Defense Center gave the order mixed reviews.

The EDC's Tara Messing said, "Gov. Newsom's climate initiatives announced today ultimately fail to address the elephant in the room--dirty oil-- as fires continue to engulf our state, the time is now to put an end to risky techniques like steam injection which threaten our communities most basic needs --clean air and clean water."

Tesla owner Frank Freeman doesn't want to put the brakes on the plan.

"It will be, I think too expensive to run a gas-powered vehicle in the state of California, I think that is great," said Freeman.

Susan Clark, who recently bought a Mazda was glad to share her views.

" I like the idea of diminishing our use of fossil fuels but we are not sure what the consequences are of lithium batteries," said Clark.

A handful of car dealership managers in Santa Barbara chose not to comment on the governor's plan.

READ MORE: California moves to end sales of new gas-powered cars