California requires nearly half of all heavy-duty truck sales to be electric by 2035 as the state seeks to cut emissions.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has approved a plan for California to phase out the use of heavy trucks that emit carbon dioxide, and the state is pushing to cut emissions and improve air quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday it will pave the way for California to require nearly half of its heavy-duty truck sales to be electric by 2035, phasing out heavy-duty trucks that rely on diesel.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement, “We are leading the way in getting the most polluting vehicles, the dirty trucks and buses, off the roads, and other states and countries are joining us. We are trying to follow the lead,” he said.
The decision will allow California to pursue one of the most ambitious efforts by any U.S. state to reduce emissions from the carbon-intensive transportation sector, which accounts for approximately 40% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions. can.
With the largest economy of any US state, California has a history of pushing for tougher emissions regulations. Newsom said he hopes the state’s plan will have a cascading effect and encourage other states to implement similar initiatives of their own.
Newsom’s office said eight other states have indicated their intention to adopt similar measures, according to the Associated Press. Signed a letter asking the EPA to approve the track standard.
Newsom has also approved a ban on the sale of new gasoline-only cars by 2035. This rule is still under consideration for approval by the EPA.
A group of 17 Republican Attorneys General has filed a legal challenge to California’s ability to enact stricter pollution standards than those in force at the federal level, a dispute that will go to the U.S. Supreme Court. There is a possibility.
The rules, which were approved on Friday, focus on companies that build trucks and those that use large numbers of trucks in their business operations.
Businesses with 50 or more trucks must share information about their use with the state. The manufacturer says that by 2035, zero-emission trucks should account for 40-75% of his turnover, depending on the vehicle class.
Industry groups oppose such efforts, saying they would impose onerous regulations on the industry and an additional burden on companies that rely on trucking.
But environmental and social justice groups have welcomed the announcement, which they say will help reduce harmful pollutants in parts of the state, especially in low-income areas heavily trucked.
“The burden of freight transportation falls disproportionately on low-income communities of color who have to breathe the air polluted by these diesel trucks in areas such as ports and distribution centers where there is a lot of activity.” and Bill McGovern, a coalition spokesman for Clean Air, told Al Jazeera by phone.
He added, “Transportation is the number one contributor to air pollution in the state.”
