EPA to approve California’s diesel regulations

Mar 20, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer/Editor)

California is about to get the green light from the Biden administration to begin phasing out diesel-powered trucks. This comes as major trucking companies have been pushing back against the state’s proposed regulations.

California is looking to cut tailpipe pollution and phase out sales of diesel trucks. The state wants vehicles like delivery vans, garbage trucks and big rigs to cut emissions. The new regulations would begin as soon as the 2024 model year.

Truck makers will also be required to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission trucks. The goal is to be selling all-electric vehicles by 2045.

According to sources from the Washington Post, the Environmental Protection Agency will approve the states’ clean energy policies, despite expected legal challenges from trucker organizations. Some of the nation’s largest truck manufacturers and their lobbying groups are expected to sue to stop the policies from taking effect.

It’s not only California looking to adopt more stringent pollution standards. New York, Oregon, Massachusetts, Washington and Vermont have committed to adopting California’s policies.

Tags: California, Diesel, Electric vehicles, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Joe Biden, Pollution, zero-emissions

KARAH RUCKER: CALIFORNIA IS ABOUT TO GET THE GREEN LIGHT FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO BEGIN A PHASE OUT OF DIESEL-POWERED TRUCKS. THIS COMES AS MAJOR TRUCKING COMPANIES HAVE BEEN PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE STATE’S PROPOSED REGULATIONS.

CALIFORNIA IS LOOKING TO CUT TAILPIPE POLLUTION AND PHASE OUT SALES OF DIESEL TRUCKS. THE STATE WANTS VEHICLES FROM DELIVERY VANS, GARBAGE TRUCKS, TO BIG RIGS TO CUT EMISSIONS – AND WOULD BEGIN APPLYING TO TRUCKS AS SOON AS THE 2024 MODEL YEAR.

TRUCK MAKERS WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO SELL AN INCREASING PERCENTAGE OF ZERO-EMISSIONS TRUCKS, WITH THE GOAL OF SELLING ALL-ELECTRIC BY 2045.

ACCORDING TO SOURCES FROM THE WASHINGTON POST – THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WILL APPROVE THE STATES’ CLEAN ENERGY POLICIES, DESPITE EXPECTED LEGAL CHALLENGES FROM TRUCKER ORGANIZATIONS.

SOME OF THE NATION’S LARGEST TRUCK MANUFACTURERS AND THEIR LOBBYING GROUPS ARE EXPECTED TO SUE TO STOP THE POLICIES FROM TAKING EFFECT.

IT’S NOT ONLY CALIFORNIA LOOKING TO ADOPT MORE STRINGENT POLLUTION STANDARDS. NEW YORK, OREGON, MASSACHUSETTS, WASHINGTON, AND VERMONT HAVE COMMITTED TO ADOPTING CALIFORNIA’S POLICIES.