Florida and Pennsylvania truckers joined over 100 transportation-related groups in a letter to President Joe Biden, asking him to back-track on his administration’s emission regulation for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles.
“Our organizations represent diverse businesses throughout the transportation sector that collectively employ millions of Americans,” noted a July 11 letter to Biden.
The letter was also signed by state and national agricultural groups, petroleum marketers and fuel dealers, refiners, convenience store and truck stop operators, the Florida Trucking Association and Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association.
Groups from all over the U.S. signed the letter addressed to President Biden, those states include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington state, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The letter specifically addresses concerns over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles in Phase 3 and Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles.
“EPA’s proposals inhibit the marketplace from identifying the most efficient, lowest cost opportunities to reduce GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions from vehicles and greatly restrict consumer choice. We are concerned that such a prescriptive policy is not in the best interest of the consumer or of U.S. energy and economic security,” the letter noted.
The letter claims that the EPA failed to consider future emission cuts by increasing the turnover of existing fleets to advanced diesel technology and using more renewable fuels to improve vehicle emissions faster.
“Improved crop yield, innovative biofuel and refined product processing, and manufacturing efficiency tied with carbon capture each represent promising advancements for current liquid and gaseous fuels to continue to accelerate emissions reductions,” the letter noted.
Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association president, Rebecca Oyler said these regulations will hurt the industry by limiting the choice in a rush.
“Pennsylvania is proud to be the state with the third highest percentage of new-technology, clean diesel trucks on the road at 66%,” Oyler said. “PMTA members should be able to choose the type of technology that works best for them, thereby focusing private investment in the best solutions. For many companies, clean diesel, near-zero-emission trucks may be the answer. Ensuring that these trucks are affordable and available will do more to reduce emissions while maintaining America’s essential supply chains than EPA’s proposed rules.”
Other groups on the letter from Pennsylvania included the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Associated Pennsylvania Constructors, Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association, Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association and three state groups with oil and gas interests.
In terms of agricultural groups, the American Farm Bureau Federation, Agricultural Retailers Association, Connecticut Farm Bureau Association and National Corn Growers Association all signed the letter.
Also, the American Highway Users Alliance, American Petroleum Institute, Truck Renting and Leasing Association, Renewable Fuels Association, Utility and Transportation Contractors Association of New Jersey, Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Natso, National Association of Convenience Stores (and several convenience store groups from various states) as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and multiple state chambers of commerce.
“We share the goal of reduced greenhouse gas emissions across the broader economy and, specifically, those from energy production, transportation and use by society. We support federal policies that accomplish these goals and believe it is critical to preserve consumers’ access to affordable, reliable and efficient transportation,” the letter noted.
“Our organizations have worked with EPA on numerous regulatory programs to successfully reduce emissions across the transportation sector. We urge your administration to reconsider these proposals from EPA to better allow for emissions reductions from a myriad of vehicle and fuels technologies and strategies to be realized while meeting Americans’ transportation needs.”
