Gov. Gavin Newsom, who pushed for the waiver, said the decision would help protect millions of residents from harmful pollutants emitted by large trucks, which create high levels of particulates and nitrogen oxide, or NOx, which can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems — as well as planet-warming greenhouse gasses.
"We're leading the charge to get dirty trucks and buses, the most polluting vehicles, off our streets, and other states and countries are lining up to follow our lead around the world," Newsom said in a statement.
The Democratic governor signed an executive order in 2020 that directs state air-quality regulators, by 2045, to ban the sale of new medium- and heavy-duty trucks that are powered by fossil fuels, wherever feasible.
California's waiver, which was granted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is a partial means to achieve Newsom's target. Specifically, the waiver allows the state to set interim targets that require manufacturers to make sure a portion of the trucks they sell in California are zero-emissions — targets that start small and gradually increase over time.
Under the state's mid-range targets, between 40% and 75% of heavy-duty vehicles must be zero emissions by 2035, depending on the size and class of vehicle. State regulators are currently considering a plan to speed up that timeline.
There are few zero-emissions semis on the road today, but state officials hope that battery technology and potential alternative fuels will evolve rapidly.
Still, the decision to grant California's waiver was criticized by some business groups, including the American Trucking Association, which said the state's targets are too aggressive and could sow the "ground for a future supply chain crisis."
"As we learned since the pandemic, our supply chain is fragile, and even small disruptions can cause huge problems nationally and globally," Chris Spear, the association's CEO, said in a statement. "(The) EPA is creating a terrible mess for the hard-working men and women of our industry and the country to clean up."
But the governor's move was cheered by environmentalists, who noted that California's sister regulation to ban the sale of most gas-powered passenger cars by 2035 has helped to accelerate the move to clean cars nationwide. Last year, a record 18.8% of new passenger cars sold in the state were electric models, including plug-in hybrids.
"Today's decision will save lives," Mike Young, political and organizing director for California Environmental Voters, said in a statement. "Our state has an outsized responsibility to model climate progress and California is paving the way, reclaiming its national leadership in addressing climate."
For most of the past 53 years, California has had a federal waiver to set passenger car tailpipe pollution rules that are tougher than the federal government's. The waiver was originally granted in 1970 under the Clean Air Act.
The waiver the state received on Friday expands that authority, so the state can set stricter emissions rules for large trucks, those that are primarily used for industrial or commercial purposes. It's a move that could rapidly accelerate the push for zero-emissions trucks nationwide; at least eight states are moving to adopt the same rules.
"This is a big deal for climate action," Newsom said. "Thanks to the Biden administration, we're getting more zero-emission heavy duty trucks on the roads, expanding our world-leading efforts to cut air pollution and protect public health."
©2023 the San Francisco Chronicle, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
