NGFA joined 46 other agribusiness organizations this week in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deny a request from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regarding stringent new truck fleet regulations. The groups argue that CARB’s proposed regulations would “significantly hinder” the agricultural industry.
In a Sept. 16 letter to the EPA, the agribusiness groups expressed concern over the “unrealistically ambitious” nature of the ACF regulations, citing multiple challenges. “The inevitable increases in transportation costs and introduction of operational inefficiencies for agricultural producers and ag-servicing truckers would result in higher food prices and less reliable food availability,” the letter stated.
The letter also highlighted several issues with the proposed regulations, including inadequate consideration of vehicle availability, ongoing supply chain challenges, lack of workable emergency response exemptions, infrastructure readiness, and the need for flexible low-carbon fuel alternatives.
“A waiver at this time would inappropriately greenlight extremely complicated and unclear standards that have not undergone the necessary due diligence to address technology and compliance feasibility,” the groups argued.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen states and various trucking groups have filed lawsuits against the ACF this year, arguing the regulation violates the Clean Air Act.