WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are denouncing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to disapprove of California’s Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Requirements for vehicles registered out-of-state.
According to the joint statement, the EPA proposal effectively cedes more power to the fossil fuel industry at the expense of clean air for California families.
“Donald Trump has made it clear that the fossil fuel industry’s agenda is more important to him than the health and safety of American families, but California will not stand down in the face of this federal overreach,” the statement said. “As the fourth-largest economy in the world, California has proven that you can significantly improve air quality while driving the economy forward. The Administration’s misguided proposal undercuts our climate leadership through an unprecedented power grab — attempting to disapprove of our state’s ability to enforce longstanding emissions standards. It must be stopped.”
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Air Pollution
According to the statement, transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in the United States, accounting for more than a quarter of all greenhouse emissions nationwide.
“Heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) are particularly hazardous, comprising only 10 percent of vehicles on the road but producing 28 percent of the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions, 45 percent of its nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and 57 percent of its particulate matter emissions,” the statement said. “Although HDVs comprise about three percent of California’s vehicle fleet, they constitute 52 percent of on-road NOx emissions and 54 percent of on-road particulate matter (PM 2.5) emissions. In addition, out-of-state or out-of-country HDVs make up approximately half of the total HDVs traveling in California and constitute approximately 30 percent of heavy-duty NOx.”
American Trucking Associations
The American Trucking Associations issued a statement supporting the EPA and thanking EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for the proposal.
“This is not the United States of California,” said Chris Spear, ATA President, CEO. “We appreciate Administrator Zeldin’s leadership to ensure California cannot dictate national policies that threaten our supply chain and the ability of America’s trucking industry to keep our nation’s goods moving.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
