Potential halt on sale of new diesel trucks in California stopped

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The sale of new diesel trucks in California won't have to hit the brakes any time soon.

That's because the state's Advanced Clean Fleets rule adopted in 2023 was dropped earlier this month.

It would have phased out medium and heavy-duty diesel trucks by 2036.

This month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) said it would not pursue the rule after the Biden administration's EPA did not approve waivers before President Trump took office.

"There's a lot of uncertainty within your administration, and we think that we have tools and partnerships with industry like our clean truck partnership that are still having us be on the way to cleaner trucks on the roads," Tania Pacheco-Werner with CARB explained.

Critics of the rule say it would've done more harm than good for many.

"In the scheme of things, and for the cost of their replacements to go electric is just prohibitive," said Tom Barcellos, the owner of Barcellos Farms in Tipton. "I know a lot of people that say when it gets to that point, they're just going to quit."

Barcellos has been in the agricultural industry for 50 years and says the rule rollback was needed as the industry has already made changes to some equipment.

"I'm glad they're putting it off. I think we're doing a really good job now, and I don't know how much farther we need to go as an industry," he said.

Under the Global Warning Solutions Act of 2006, California will still need to reduce emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

"We did receive waivers from EPA that make trucks that guide manufacturers to make the cleanest engines they have ever made," Pacheco-Werner said.

CARB says innovation is "happening with the biggest truck manufacturers already."

"They've already invested into that technology," Pacheco-Werner explained. "As far as we've been in conversation with them, are committed to continue to make that cleaner technology."

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