The U.S. House of Representatives passed two resolutions (H.J.Res. 87 and H.J.Res 89) Wednesday that would stop California from banning the sales of new diesel trucks and revoke its heavy-duty low-NOx Omnibus regulations.
H.J.Res. 87 was introduced by Rep. John James (R-Mich.) and approved by a vote of 231-191. It would revoke the waiver allowing California and other states to enforce its Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation if also passed by the Senate and signed into law. ACT, which has been adopted by 11 states, requires medium- and heavy-duty truck manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero-emission vehicles from 2024-2035.
H.J.Res. 89 was introduced by Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) and approved by a vote of 225-196. It would revoke the waiver allowing California and other states to enforce its low-NOx Omnibus rule. This rule, which has been adopted by 10 states, imposes stringent emissions standards on new truck sales.
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Both resolutions were introduced earlier this month to great support from the trucking industry, and that support continued this week.
American Truck Dealers (ATD) President Jacqueline Gelb sent a letter to House members Tuesday urging passage of the legislation.
Gelb wrote, “America’s small business truck dealers want to sell trucks that their customers want to buy, and those trucks must be affordable and fit their customers’ needs. A one-size-fits-all ZEV mandate that restricts then bans the sale of diesel trucks would reduce customer choice without an affordable replacement and could have unintended consequences for the supply chain and the economy.”
The American Trucking Associations’ shared its support for the House action after Wednesday’s votes.
ATA states the resolutions will not only restore EPA’s role as the primary authority empowered to establish achievable, nationwide emissions standards, but will also prevent California from issuing similar regulations in the future.
“This is not the United States of California. California should never be given the keys to set policies that impact our interstate supply chains,” says ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “The trucking industry is grateful to our Congressional leaders who are removing Sacramento from the driver’s seat and restoring common sense to our nation's environmental policies. We look forward to working with Congress and the Trump Administration to develop realistic, technology-neutral federal emissions standards that will benefit our environment, preserve and create jobs and set our industry up for success.”
The Senate will now consider the resolutions before sending them to the President’s desk for signature.
Gelb believes both resolutions should move forward.
“Due in part to this regulation and ACT, California’s truck diesel sales were down on average 50% in 2024 versus 2023 sales,” she wrote Tuesday. “Congress should reject California’s NOx rule because the marginal benefits of the rule do not outweigh the significant related costs and impacts on small businesses and jobs.”
If either of the resolutions earn Senate and Presidential approval, they not only would eliminate the regulations in California but also in any states that have opted in to CARB regulations.
