By MONICA SAMAYOA/Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon environmental regulators have approved rules that will temporarily delay the state’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which are typically used for commercial purposes and for long-haul transportation. But trucking advocates are calling for a longer delay of the rules, saying the technology for these types of zero-emissions vehicles as well as the infrastructure needed to charge them are not widely available yet for the state.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s commission has adopted temporary Clean Truck Rules that will go into effect in January. The rules are set to be updated to align with California’s vehicle and truck emission standards. Oregon is one of 10 states that have opted to adopt California’s standards for these vehicles and must be aligned with California’s standards.
The updated versions of the rules will delay when stricter standards for medium and heavy-duty trucks go into effect and will introduce more flexibility and time for manufacturers to sell these vehicles.
“These rules are really critical to helping the state achieve its greenhouse gas reduction goals and also just bring more health benefits to Oregonians.” DEQ’s transportation strategy section manager Rachel Sakata said. “When you replace a diesel vehicle with a zero-emission vehicle, you have no emissions coming out of the tailpipe which is significant.”
Oregon efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the state’s largest contributor are temporarily on hold, as the state works to align the rules with California as well as providing flexibility as a limited number of zero-emission trucks are currently available for purchase. According to DEQ, the transportation sector accounts for 35% of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The rules, once in place, would compliment other state policies in helping reduce those emissions. But trucking advocates say the rules are premature to mandate, especially as the technology has not advanced far enough within the industry.
Temporary truck rules
Under the Clean Trucks Rules, the Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus Rules require truck engine manufacturers to meet tougher emission standards for particulate matter and for nitrogen oxides pollution, or the combustion of fossil fuels in vehicles. They were originally set to start in 2025.
Sakata said those rules are being delayed for a few reasons, including the limited number of medium- to heavy-duty engines available that qualify under those emissions standards.
“We’ve been talking with the manufacturers, and we understand that there’s going to be very few compliant engines available in the market in 2025,” Sakata said. “What that means is that manufacturers are not offering any new vehicles for sale because they have very few of those engines available.”
Those rules are now set to start in 2026.
According to DEQ, the delay will provide manufacturers more time to develop engines that will meet with the requirements under the rules.
Under the Advanced Clean Truck Rules, manufacturers of medium to heavy-duty vehicles, like large pick-up trucks, buses and 18-wheelers, are required to sell a certain percentage of zero emissions electric vehicles starting with the 2025 model year.
For example, truck and van manufacturers would need at least 7% of their sales to be zero emissions vehicles. By 2035, those sales need to reach at least 55% of zero emissions vehicles sold.
Medium and heavy-duty manufacturers will now have three years instead of one to sell a certain percentage, starting with 2025 model years, allowing more flexibility to comply with the rule.
“This rule extends that out until 2028,” DEQ’s Rachel Sakata said. “So, gives them two additional years to kind of make up for any shortfall.”
- This story originally appeared Nov. 27, 2024 on Oregon Public Broadcasting.
This is what happens when you have people regulating things they know nothing about. If any of these people had ever actually driven a truck professionally they would know that electric heavy trucks will not be efficient enough to be commercially feasible until you can run one with a “Mr. Fusion” energy device in the movie “Back to the Future.”