Congress members express concern over EPA’s truck emission standards

More than 30 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle signed off on a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expressing concerns over a rule that would set stricter greenhouse gas emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles.

On Tuesday, July 18, members of Congress, led by Reps. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., and Chris Pappas, D-N.H., sent a letter to the EPA regarding the “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3” rule. The rule would require 25% of new heavy trucks sold in the United States to be all-electric by 2032.

In the letter, Congress members noted how the proposed rule was rushed.

“EPA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking with a comment period of only 50 days and has denied requests for extension,” the letter states. “By comparison, EPA took five years to finalize the Phase 2 GHG rule. There is much at stake for the truck industry, its employees, and the economy, and the EPA should take the time needed to carefully consider the concerns raised during the rulemaking.”

The letter also states the steep price of an electric truck. According to the letter, an electric truck costs roughly $400,000 and the average cost for a comparable diesel-powered vehicle is $180,000.

“Environmentalist bureaucrats cannot force their ideology onto business owners and upend an entire industry,” LaMalfa said in a statement. “If business owners want to buy an electric vehicle and can afford it, it’s well within their right to purchase one. Small businesses and mom-and-pop trucking companies should not be regulated to death on the whims of executive agencies.”

Congress members are also concerned about the lack of charging infrastructure.

“Complex distribution system upgrades will be required to support EPA’s proposed rule, which will require a whole-of-government approach,” the letter states. “EPA should consider real-world availability and the speed that we can build the required (zero emission vehicle) infrastructure.”

Trucking stakeholders are also concerned about the new emission standards. In April, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association called the rulemaking “hurried” and points out the lack of a national charging infrastructure. OOIDA President Todd Spencer issued the following statement:

“The Biden-Harris EPA is continuing their regulatory blitz on small-business truckers. The latest proposal comes on the heels of a hurried nitrogen oxide emissions rulemaking finalized in December along with a California waiver mandating sales of electric trucks. Today’s announcement is a blatant attempt to force consumers into purchasing electric vehicles while a national charging infrastructure network remains absent for heavy-duty commercial trucks. Professional drivers are skeptical of (electric vehicle) costs, mileage range, battery weight and safety, charging time, and availability. It’s baffling that the EPA is pushing forward with more impractical emissions timelines without first addressing these overwhelming concerns with electric (commercial motor vehicles). The pursuit of this radical environmental agenda in conjunction with an anticipated speed limiter mandate will regulate the safest and most experienced truckers off the road.” LL