Gov. Cooper aims for cut in North Carolina greenhouse gases

CARY, N.C. — North Carolina's governor says he's trying to lessen the force of erratic and powerful storms like Hurricane Florence by ordering state agencies to work at cutting greenhouse-gas emissions.

Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday he wants state agencies that he controls to prioritize electric vehicles when they buy or lease, with the aim of encouraging a market that gets 80,000 zero-emission vehicles on the state's roads in six years.

[MORE: EPA drops 26 North Carolina counties from emissions program]

[ALSO READ: GM proposes nationwide zero-emissions vehicle sales mandate]

Cooper also is ordering the administration, health and other agencies under his control to cut greenhouse gases by 40 percent before 2025, compared to a starting point of 2005.

Cooper last year responded to President Donald Trump withdrawing the U.S. from a worldwide climate agreement by joining with 14 other states that pledged to keep pursuing their share of the U.S. targets.

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Associated Press