OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 9:40 AM – Saturday, April 29, 2023
Regulators in California voted to ban the sale of new diesel big rigs by the year 2036 on Friday.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved the Advanced Clean Fleets rule which is the state’s second zero-emissions trucks rule. The newly approved regulation will also require all trucks to be fully electric by 2042.
According to the office of Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) all big rigs, local delivery and government fleets must transition by 2035, garbage trucks and local buses by 2039, and all other vehicles under the new regulation must be zero-emission by 2042.
Companies in California are required to disclose their use of big rig vehicles by 2024.
The new regulation is an addition to California’s advanced Clean Trucks rule, that had been approved by the Biden administration in March, which requires all manufacturers to advance the sale of new zero-emissions trucks by 2035.
The new rule by the state comes on the heels of CARB having just approved a new regulation aimed to transition passenger trans to zero-emission by 2030, and freight trains by 2035.
“The two regulations work in tandem to drastically cut air pollution – especially in disadvantaged communities – and achieve Governor Newsom’s bold vision for [zero emissions vehicles] in California,” the California governor’s office said.
The trucks regulation is projected by the state to generate $26.6 billion in health savings in the state, and fleet owners will save around $48 billion after transitioning to electric trucks.
“The future happens here first, and California is once again showing the world what real climate action looks like,” Governor Newsom said. “Last year, our state approved one of the world’s first regulations requiring all new car sales to be zero emissions. Now, with these actions requiring all new heavy-duty truck sales to be zero emission and tackling train pollution in our state, we’re one step closer to achieving healthier neighborhoods and cleaner air for all Californians.”
The state also reported that the reduced nitrogen oxide and diesel output will bring around $32 billion in health savings, as well as preventing 3,200 premature deaths and 1,500 hospital visits.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, only 10% of the vehicles in the country are heavy-duty trucks, however they also said that those trucks emit approximately 25% of the greenhouse emissions.
Andrea Vidaurre, the senior policy analyst for the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice said that the rule will bring “relief” to California communities.
“Frontline communities across California who breathe in deadly diesel pollution every day can finally get some relief with the Advanced Clean Fleets rule,” Vidaurre said. “There is no acceptable level of exposure to deadly diesel pollution — so it has got to go, for the sake of our health and our lungs.”
The American Trucking Association said that the new regulation was “unrealistic” and stated that they are concerned with the possible increase in prices for the transported goods.
“As it becomes clear that California’s rhetoric is not being matched by technology, we hope the board will reverse course and allow trucking companies the freedom to choose the clean technologies that work best for their operations,” the group said in a statement.
Many in the trucking industry have also said that the deadlines set by the state of California are unrealistic because the state does not have the proper EV charging infrastructure.
The state of California has committed itself to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2045. Along with the two new regulations, in 2022, California also banned the sale of new gasoline-powered cars starting in the year 2035.
The new regulation will need to be approved by the Biden administration before being implemented throughout the state.
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