CARB taken to court over new emission standards

The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association has filed a lawsuit against the California Air Resources Board for not providing enough notice before implementing new emission standards.

The group filed the lawsuit on May 27, saying that Congress specified in the Clean Air act that “heavy-duty on-highway engine and vehicle manufacturers must be provided at least four full model years of lead time before new emission standards become effective.”

California is required to provide manufacturers the same minimum four-year notice that applies to federal emission standards adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association wrote in a news release. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Enough notice?

“Truck and engine manufacturers are proud that today’s modern engines reduce harmful emissions to near-zero levels, and we are committed to building still cleaner products – but CARB must provide manufacturers the minimum four years of lead time mandated by Congress,” Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association President Jed R. Mandel said in the news release. “We acknowledge that the Clean Air Act gives CARB the authority to establish California-specific emission standards and regulations; however, in doing so, CARB must follow Congress’s requirements.

“This lawsuit is simply to ensure that CARB follows all of the prescribed rules – one of which is intended to maximize the likelihood of the smooth and successful implementation of new emission standards.”

In December 2021, CARB officially adopted a package of emission standards, which requires heavy-duty engine and vehicle manufacturers to comply with the new standards on Jan. 1, 2024. The manufacturers group says they received only two years to comply.

The lawsuit specifically names CARB Executive Officer Richard Corey.

CARB did not immediately respond to Land Line’s request for comment. LL