The American Trucking Associations tore into the California Air Resources Board after the unelected group crafted the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule, effectively banning diesel-fueled rigs over time. And after four Democrats joined Republicans to advance a resolution through the Senate rolling back a similar EPA rule that would impact interstate trucking, Pres. Joe Biden vetoed the measure.
“California needs a wakeup call to understand that it cannot simply re-engineer the highly complex transportation sector just by snapping its fingers. Wishful thinking alone will not solve these problems. The economic harm caused by this rule will be compounded when trucking companies are put out of business, retailers are unable to receive their products, and consumers are faced with higher prices and empty shelves,” the ATA stated.
Advocates of the move to eliminate diesel trucks and even gasoline-powered automobiles continue to cite air pollution statistics. California consistently ranks among the top three states with the worst air quality. That’s a stunning fact given the land mass. But urban areas have long been plagued with smog, congested highways produce an uneven share of emissions, and the Golden State has yet to get its unprecedented wildfire problem under control.
Although commercial motor vehicles produce more pollutants than gas-fueled passenger vehicles, trucks are not necessarily the primary polluters. But like Rhode Island and Connecticut did to initiate truck-only tolling systems, big rigs and their operators have been targeted.
Older semi-trucks are being stripped of registration annually and manufacturers will only be able to sell zero-emissions tractors starting in 2036. That’s one year after the sale of passenger vehicles using gas will be outlawed in California. The expansive rule put forward by the appointed board will also go after railroads as the Biden Administration supports migrating truck freight to railcars. By 2030, all locomotive sales must be zero-emissions products and all train fleets must be off fossil fuels by 2058 to run in California.
“Union Pacific is deeply disappointed in the California Air Resources Board’s decision to impose burdensome regulations on the railroad industry, which fail to take into consideration that the technology and infrastructure needed for success do not exist,” a company spokesperson reportedly stated.
The ATA argues California and the White House are effectively putting the cart in front of the horse. Electric trucks travel significantly shorter distances, require lengthier refueling, and cost 2-3 times more than diesel rigs. According to the ATA, these and other realities go unaccounted for as the Biden Administration and California board implement the new rules.
Sources:
https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/californias-dream-becoming-americas-supply-chain-nightmare
https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-have-the-best-and-worst-air-quality/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/06/14/biden-veto-truck-emissions-epa-repeal/
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