(NationRise.com) – President Joe Biden announced new stringent regulations targeting semi-trucks, delivery vans, buses, and other heavy-duty vehicles over their emissions as the global supply chain continues to struggle and Americans grapple with record inflation.
The sweeping new mandates were published by the Environmental Protection Agency on March 29th, calling them the strongest regulations ever set in the United States for carbon emissions. They are set to begin in 2026 for vehicles labeled as 2027 and newer. They will become even harsher periodically over the six years after. Many heavy-duty vehicles, especially those used on the supply chain and in public transportation, will need to be virtually free of emissions within that time.
Ali Zaidi, the Biden administration’s climate advisor, praised the legislation. He said the new emissions standards highlight Biden’s “unprecedented investment” in American workers and communities. He also claimed that it would improve the country’s ability to manufacture state-of-the-art transportation technologies.
However, many economists, supply chain experts, and even government officials are sounding the alarm. Todd Spencer, who serves as president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, blasted the new regulations. He said that self-employed truckers, who compose about 96% of the industry’s drivers, will likely be regulated out of business and called the new mandates “unworkable.” His organization boasts about 150,000 members throughout the United States of America. Electric trucks are currently significantly more expensive and cannot maintain the same capacities as diesel-powered trucks.
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, whose membership would play a significant role in converting large trucks, filed comments with the EPA in 2023, warning that the Biden administration has undermined the feasibility of the industry to design, build, and roll out enough trucks with electric engines to meet the deadline. The American Trucking Association agrees that the deadlines are unrealistic.
Chet Thompson, CEO and President of The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, accused the Biden administration of eliminating more choices for American consumers in the name of increased government control. He called on Congress to overturn the new mandates and threatened a lawsuit against the White House if Congress fails to do so.
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