To say the stringent truck emissions regulations and adoption of California’s battery-electric Class 8 vehicles have been controversial would be something of an understatement. In Ohio, lawmakers are attempting to stop the proliferation of anti-diesel truck mandates. They also raise compelling economic grounds for implementing pro-diesel laws.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Prohibit Sale Restrictions on Motor Vehicle Based on Power Source bill into law on Dec. 28, 2023. The measure is expected to take effect on March 28, and some are calling it a slap in the face to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Golden State lawmakers. But the reaction to the anti-diesel rules hit a boiling point when the Biden Administration green-lit a waiver that allows California emissions guidelines to exceed those enforced by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
“The (Ohio) environmental protection agency or any other state agency shall not adopt any motor vehicle emissions standards that are established by California as a result of California having received a waiver pursuant to section 209(b) of the federal Clean Air Act,” the Ohio law states. “No state agency, township or county shall restrict the use or sale of a motor vehicle based on the energy source used to power the motor vehicle, including an energy source used for propulsion or used for powering other functions of the motor vehicle.”
Sponsored by Ohio Reps. Brett Hillyer and Steve Demetriou, the bill garnered overwhelming support in the state’s Senate, passing by a vote of 23-8. In the Ohio House, it passed by a margin of nearly two-one at 60-31. The reaction by Buckeye State legislators is not necessarily happening in a vacuum. Other states have expressed concerns that California rules will become a national standard. New York and others have followed suit by adopting the rules created by unelected CARB officials or similar ones. But unlike others who have pushed back on CARB directives, Ohio lawmakers put forward economic impacts that have not previously been at the forefront of the debate.
“While there may be some shift to adding electric charging stations at existing fueling stations, the bulk of the funding for expanded charging is not going to installations at gas stations,” the Freedom to Fuel: Consumer Choice in the Automotive Marketplace 2023 reportedly states. “Industry statistics indicate that there are over 64,000 gas stations with convenience stores in the United States, employing 890,000 individuals. These jobs will be, in effect, mandated away by the government.”
Sources:
https://www.ttnews.com/articles/ohio-law-california-emissions
https://consumerenergyalliance.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CEA_EV_REPORT_2023.pdf
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