The latest push to roll back burdensome emission regulations comes out of the Senate.
On Thursday, March 13, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., introduced the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act. S996 would amend the Clean Air Act to prevent the elimination of the sale of motor vehicles with internal combustion engines.
Mullin said the bill would limit the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing Clean Air Act waivers for state policies seeking to ban or otherwise limit the sale of internal combustion engines. The California Air Resources Board adopted its Advanced Clean Cars II regulation in 2022.
“California’s waivers are not about clean energy; they are about control,” Mullin said. “For four years, Washington Democrats worked to overregulate every aspect of Americans’ lives – including what car they drive. Now that President Trump is back in office, it’s critical we protect Americans’ freedom to choose what vehicle is best for themselves and their families and allow consumer choice to dictate the market. Capitalism has already proven that internal combustion engine vehicles represent the overwhelming majority of vehicle purchases in America. I will not sit back and allow the federal government to make purchasing choices for consumers in Oklahoma.”
Proponents of the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act contend that preserving consumer choice is critical to maintaining competition in the automotive markets and ensuring all Americans have access to reliable and affordable vehicles, instead of rushing emission regulations without adequate technology in place. Nineteen Republicans have already signed on as co-sponsors.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association supports the bill.
“Setting national policy is the responsibility of Congress, not California,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “It’s no wonder small-business truckers have left the state in droves to find better opportunities elsewhere. For OOIDA members, vehicle reliability and affordability are critical. So far, there is no convincing evidence that electric commercial motor vehicles are a viable option for small-business truckers given the high costs and inadequate charging infrastructure. OOIDA and our 150,000 members appreciate Senator Mullin’s continued leadership in advancing this commonsense legislation to protect small-business truckers nationwide from California’s regulatory encroachments.”
The bill is also supported by the American Trucking Associations, the Western Energy Alliance, the American Energy Alliance and numerous other organizations.
Mullin introduced the bill seeking to block the emission regulations one day after the EPA announced a series of deregulatory actions, including reconsideration of the Phase 3 heavy-duty trucks and the 2022 heavy-duty nitrogen oxide rules. LL
Credit: Source link
