Contact: Katherine Garcia, katherine.garcia@sierraclub.org
SACRAMENTO—The California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Thursday heard more than six hours of testimony on its staff’s weak proposal for zero-emission truck manufacturing targets. The board concluded the hearing by strongly signaling to the staff that more work is needed to ensure the rule is as effective as necessary to protect public health and improve air quality.
The rule, called the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule (ACT), requires that truck manufacturers produce a set number of electric trucks between 2024 and 2030. The ACT regulation will apply to a variety of truck types, including delivery vans, heavy-duty pickups used to tow trailers, box trucks and big rigs.
Heavy-duty trucks are the number one source of smog-forming emissions in the state. While they are only 7 percent of total vehicles on the road, they are responsible for 20 percent of climate pollution from the transportation sector. The Sierra Club is a part of a large coalition of labor, environmental, public health, and environmental justice organizations advocating for a stronger rule.
In response, Katherine Garcia, Sierra Club California Clean Transportation Advocate, released the following statement:
“We need a stronger zero-emission truck requirement than the staff proposed. It was clear after listening to hours of public testimony that much of the board agreed.
“There will be much more work to do to make the rule appropriately strong before it comes to the board for a vote this spring.
“We all suffer when dirty trucks are on the road. And the board recognized that low-income communities and communities of color that live in areas next to diesel zones are bearing a disproportionate burden from these dirty trucks. They deserve better.
“We will keep pushing CARB to adopt a stronger rule with bolder truck targets that will truly deliver clean air and save lives in California when the rule comes up for a vote in the spring.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.