RIO RANCHO, N.M. — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said her state will move to adopt some of the nation’s strongest vehicle emissions rules.
In a news release, Grisham’s office said the rules are “aimed at improving New Mexicans choices on all makes and models of zero emission vehicles while furthering the state’s ambitious climate goals and decreasing air pollution.”
“These rules will speed up much-needed investment in New Mexico’s electric vehicle and clean hydrogen fueling infrastructure, create new job opportunities and, most importantly, result in cleaner and healthier air for all New Mexicans to breathe,” Grisham said.
The rules, known as Advanced Clean Cars and Advanced Clean Trucks, set annual targets for the sale of new zero emission cars and trucks in New Mexico over time and are part of an overall federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandate on reducing carbon in the air.
On June 5, 19 state attorneys general filed a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit challenging California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulations. Those regulations are the framework for New Mexico’s and other states’ rules after the EPA said it would grant waivers allowing the Golden State to create tighter regulations than its own, which normally isn’t allowed.
According to an Iowa Office of the Attorney General news release, the Advanced Clean Trucks regulation will cost businesses and consumers as it will hike the prices of a new truck to the high six figures.
Iowa led the lawsuit joined by Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
In New Mexico, the new rules would require vehicle manufacturers to deliver cleaner vehicles and drastically cut smog-forming nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter emissions (PM) from conventional gas and diesel engines, resulting in reductions of over 50,200 tons of NOx and 615 tons of PM when fully implemented.
The Advanced Clean Trucks rule states that manufacturers that certify Class 2b-8 chassis or complete vehicles with combustion engines are required to sell zero-emission trucks as an increasing percentage of their annual sales from 2024-35.
Zero-emission truck/chassis sales would need to be 55% of Class 2b-3 truck sales, 75% of Class 4-8 straight truck sales, and 40% of truck tractor sales by 2035.
“These new rules will ensure that all New Mexicans have access to a greater number of new zero and low-emission vehicle models, while hastening the transition away from polluting diesel and gasoline-powered cars and trucks,” said Environment Department Cabinet Secretary James Kenney. “We look forward to engaging with all New Mexicans on these proposed rules in the coming months.”
Grisham said the rules will collectively reduce over 76 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions when fully implemented.
“These rules are a critical piece of the state’s overall strategy to reduce pollution from the transportation sector and will complement future legislative strategies,” the governor’s statement noted. “By adopting these rules, New Mexicans will be first in line to receive zero emissions cars and trucks from auto manufacturers. The clean vehicle rules complement the existing Clean Cars rule adopted by the Environmental Improvement Board and the Albuquerque-Bernalillo Air Quality Control Board in 2022.”
During the Arkansas Trucking Association’s annual conference Wednesday, May 17, in Little Rock, American Trucking Associations (ATA) President and CEO Spear told attendees that it’s time to “turn up the volume and let our story be heard” over the EPA’s regulations and proposals.
“This is another example of California approving onerous regulations that increase operating costs for truckers within the state,” Jay Grimes, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association director of federal affairs, told the organization’s publication LandLine.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
More feel good legislation by people who have no knowledge & do not care about what this will cost everyday citizens in the long run.