The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, as well as other trucking organizations, quickly applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to roll back a series of regulations.
On Wednesday, March 12, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced 31 deregulatory actions, including reconsideration of the Phase 3 heavy-duty trucks and the 2022 heavy-duty nitrogen oxide rules.
“OOIDA and the 150,000 small-business truckers we represent welcome the EPA’s decision to reconsider the Phase 3 greenhouse gas emissions rulemaking and to review the federal NOx standard,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “Small-business truckers make up 96% of trucking and could be regulated out of existence if the current standards were to be implemented. Mom-and-pop trucking businesses would be suffocated by the sheer cost and operational challenges of effectively mandating zero-emission trucks. Vehicle reliability and affordability are top priorities for OOIDA members, and we have yet to see proof that electric commercial motor vehicles are a practical option for most trucking businesses considering the price tag and lack of charging infrastructure. We commend EPA Administrator Zeldin on his realistic approach to emissions regulations. We will be working with EPA and Congress on a path forward that prioritizes listening to the men and women of the trucking industry.”
(H3) According to a news release from the EPA, the actions will move toward the termination of former President Joe Biden’s electric vehicle mandate.
“The American auto industry has been hamstrung by the crushing regulatory regime of the last administration,” Zeldin said. “As we reconsider nearly $1 trillion of regulatory costs, we will abide by the rule of law to protect consumer choice and the environment.”
The American Trucking Associations also celebrated the rollback.
“It is critically important that the federal government set realistic standards with achievable targets and timelines,” ATA President Chris Spear said. “Prior to the imposition of GHG3, EPA used a collaborative process that served the agency and the trucking industry well and allowed us to make monumental progress to reduce emissions. As a result, 60 trucks today emit the same amount as one truck manufactured in 1988.”
Democrats, meanwhile, pushed back against the effort to roll back environmental regulations.
Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., issued a joint statement on Thursday, March 13.
“Eliminating these protections is bad for the environment and bad for the health of Californians,” the Democratic senators wrote. “Donald Trump’s efforts to roll back federal clean car and truck rules are just the latest example of this administration’s reckless policies and actions. This reversal undermines our progress on clean air and will raise prices on working families.” LL
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