The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has put the brakes on a California plan that would have imposed strict emissions rules on over 50,000 trucks entering the state from outside its borders or the country.
On Tuesday, the EPA issued its final disapproval of California’s Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Regulation for non-gasoline combustion vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds coming from outside the state, though the state can still enforce the rule for trucks registered within California, according to EPA officials and state data.
The New York Post reported that back in 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law pushing the California Air Resources Board to pilot a program slashing heavy-duty truck emissions, a move that later led to a bold goal of mandating zero-emission trucks by 2045.
Newsom has been vocal, claiming trucks contribute nearly a third of harmful air pollutants and linking them to health issues and environmental damage in posts on X over the years.
The EPA’s disapproval hinges on legal arguments, asserting that California’s attempt to regulate out-of-state trucks interferes with interstate and international trade, violating the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause.
Officials also noted the regulation, part of California’s State Implementation Plan, misused provisions of the 1970 Clean Air Act by failing to align with federal standards after a 30-day public comment period.
Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator, didn’t mince words, stating, “If California had its way, prices would skyrocket for truckers and businesses across America.”
Zeldin’s critique cuts to the heart of a broader concern: the ripple effect of one state’s policies on the entire nation’s economy.
California Air Resources Board spokesperson Lindsay Buckley fired back, saying, “Today’s announcement is a whole lot of bluster about bean counting.”
Buckley added, “EPA has no authority over this program and we will continue to enforce the law to ensure that all trucks operating in California abide by the same rules — even if EPA doesn’t want to give us credit.”
Buckley’s defiance suggests California isn’t backing down, but one has to wonder if this is less about clean air and more about flexing political muscle on a national stage.
This isn’t the first time California’s regulations have clashed with interstate commerce, as seen in a 2023 Supreme Court case where pork producers challenged a state animal cruelty law, Proposition 12, only to lose despite estimated industry costs of up to $350 million.
That ruling, backed by five justices led by Neil Gorsuch, found no interference with out-of-state merchants, but the trucking rule’s broader scope seems to have crossed a line the EPA couldn’t ignore, signaling a tougher road ahead for California’s ambitious green agenda.
