The heads of 15 transportation and shipping groups sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy, urging that the state’s Department of Environmental Protection pause its adoption of California’s Advanced Clean Truck rule.
The ACT aims to accelerate a large-scale transition of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles from Class 2b to Class 8. The group said the potential changes to the ACT from the California Air Resource Board — which could be coming in 2022 — make it necessary for New Jersey to hold off until it can see the modifications.
“There is simply too much at stake to adopt this regulation without knowing the final form it will take,” they wrote in the letter.
The group also affirmed its commitment to zero-emission vehicles.
“We look forward to working collaboratively with your administration to promote heavy-duty ZEVs through incentive-based programs and the development of the necessary refueling and recharging infrastructure and funding mechanisms to enable their adoption,” they wrote.
A copy of the letter appears below.
The letter was signed by:
- Partners for a Zero Emission Vehicle Future (Daimler Trucks, Navistar International Corporation, PACCAR, Volvo Group North America)
- Jim Cobb, director of government affairs, the New York Shipping Association
- Sal Risalvato, executive director, the New Jersey Gasoline, C-Store and Automotive Association
- Sean Hughes, president, the Bus Association of New Jersey
- Jed Mandel, president, the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association
- Jim Appleton, president, the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers
- Ray Cantor, executive vice president, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association
- Gail Toth, executive director, the New Jersey Motor Truck Association
- Chloe Williams, president, the New Jersey School Bus Contractors Association
- Steve Rush, president, Carbon Express
- Helder Rebelo, director of fleet maintenance, Daybreak Express
- Glen Kedzie, vice president, energy and environmental affairs counsel, the American Trucking Association
- Tracy Brito Denora, executive director, the New Jersey Warehousemen and Movers Association
- Joe Cambria, owner, Cambria Truck Center
- Scott Campbell, president, Campbell Supply Co. LLC.
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Dear Gov. Murphy:
On behalf of the undersigned, we respectfully write to request that your administration pause the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s proposed adoption of the California Air Resource Board’s Advanced Clean Truck Rule, in light of new information about additional CARB action on the ACT.
As you may be aware, CARB plans to propose significant changes to the existing ACT Rule in late summer or early autumn of 2022. New Jersey’s proposed adoption of the ACT Rule would have a significant impact on our businesses and employees, and it is essential that the state fully understand its impacts before pursuing adoption. There is simply too much at stake to adopt this regulation without knowing the final form it will take.
We also understand that CARB is delaying its Advanced Clean Fleets Rule, which is part of the ACT Rule. New Jersey should review these regulations, in their final forms, and their impacts as a comprehensive package.
The truck and engine manufacturing industry strongly believes that Zero Emission Vehicles are the future of the heavy-duty commercial vehicle marketplace. The signatories below support your administration’s goals for a cleaner New Jersey.
Nevertheless, we urge you to have the NJDEP postpone action until CARB completes its amendments to the ACT rule, so its full impacts can be understood, and New Jersey can avoid the unnecessary readoption of a revised, future ACT Rule.
In the meantime, we look forward to working collaboratively with your administration to promote heavy-duty ZEVs through incentive-based programs and the development of the necessary refueling and recharging infrastructure and funding mechanisms to enable their adoption.
We appreciate your consideration of our concerns.
