Members of the media stand beside an electric Actros truck at the IAA Transportation fair in Hanover, Germany, on Sept. 19, 2022. Photo by Fabian Bimmer, Reuters
It isn’t quite big, blaring breaking news, but a just-announced federal waiver is a necessary step for California toAs expected, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday granted permission for the state to enforce a first-in-the-world rule, adopted in 2020, that forces manufacturers to ramp up sales of zero-emission trucks and buses over the next 15 years. An estimated 300,000 trucks powered by electricity or hydrogen must be on California roads by 2035 and 100,000 by 2030.
, the state has committed $5 billion for the transition to cleaner trucks and buses, and eight other states are moving in a similar direction, as is a 27-country coalition that California is leading., in a statement: “This is a big deal for climate action…. We’re leading the charge to get dirty trucks and buses — the most polluting vehicles — off our streets, and other states and countries are lining up to follow our lead around the world.
These waivers by federal regulators for California’s emission rules were routine prior to the Trump administration, which tried to eliminate them, but failed. The 1972 Clean Air Act grants California the authority to set its own vehicle standards, and since then the EPA has routinely granted these waivers so California can set its own course in cleaning up its polluted air. Other states and the EPA then move in and adopt California’s standards.
This is a massive win for everyone, especially for our frontline communities that are bearing the brunt of truck pollution and are often ignored. It is our collective responsibility to lower carbon emissions as quickly and equitably as possible.”
Jesus..., following headlines seems like a low bar for journalism on your part. It's true, of course, but come'on.