In a significant setback for California’s efforts to reduce air pollution, state regulators have abandoned their plan to phase out diesel trucks. This move comes just days before President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, marking a win for trucking companies.
In 2023, the California Air Resources Board voted to ban the sale of new diesel big rigs by 2036 and require large fleets to convert all trucks to zero-emission models by 2042. The state is home to around 1.8 million trucks. To implement this ban, California needed a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, on Tuesday, the board withdrew its request for approval of the new diesel truck emission standards, anticipating that the Trump administration would likely reject it.
Trump has been a vocal opponent of California’s electric vehicle mandates. During his first term, he attempted to revoke the state’s authority to regulate car emissions. He has also stated that no state would be allowed to ban gas-powered cars under his presidency.
Environmentalists have criticized the decision, including Paul Cort, director of Earthjustice’s Right To Zero campaign. He called diesel pollution “one of the most dangerous kinds of air pollution for human health.”
This move follows the air board’s decision in December to cancel an initiative that would have boosted electric motorcycle sales, which would have been a first-of-its-kind program.
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