About that zero-emission vehicle mandate. The one that said the state would only sell new EVs by 2035. The one that said 51% of all sales must be EVs by as soon as 2027. The one that didn’t seem to realize the limited demand of such vehicles.
On Monday, State Sen. Patrick Diegnan (D-South Plainfield) and Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-Ridgefield) proposed legislation that would delay the mandate for two years.
That was great news to David Rible, the executive director of the Utility and Transportation Contractors Association.
Rible said he’s not against zero-emission vehicles, he just feels the mandate is not possible to meet.
“While the principle of zero-emission vehicles is a good one, the reality of the world we live in is quite different,” he said. “The investments and technology necessary to make this possible on a broad scale simply do not exist. We can wish that they did … but they don’t.”
UTCA, a nonprofit trade association headquartered in Wall, represents approximately 1,000 member firms in the public and private sectors, active in all phases of heavy, highway, utility, and marine construction, as well as site work including remediation of brownfields and contaminated sites.
Rible said the impact on the sector he represents would be especially tough.
“Our members, who rely heavily on trucks, would face immediate hardships if the mandate is not delayed,” he said. “These include inadequate charging infrastructure and contending with operational limitations, such as smaller payloads and downtime for charging.
“Moreover, contractors will almost certainly be unable to secure both internal combustion engines and ZEV trucks, given the average 18-month wait for delivery.”
New Jersey has prided itself in being a leader in EVs. Rible said it may be time to look to others for guidance.
“Many other states have chosen not take this action because they recognize the consequences,” he said. “New Jersey should learn from them and delay this mandate. We look forward to working with Senator Diegnan and Assemblyman Calabrese to make this a reality.”
