Following news that the state of Oregon is proposing to take near-term action to slow implementation of the most important pollution standards for diesel trucks (the Heavy-Duty Low NOx Omnibus Regulation) under pressure from the truck industry, Evergreen Action Senior Vice President Craig Segall released the following statement: 

“These rules are feasible, needed, and important—but they’re under serious threat from the industry. The truth is that diesel trucks pose a major risk to public health, especially for children, and their pollution also threatens the climate. The trucking industry claims to be part of the solution and even entered into a 'Clean Trucks Partnership' to reduce diesel emissions and transition to electric vehicles in California—and committed to remain 'neutral' in other states. But now we are learning of troubling sales tactics in those states that, if they result in rollbacks, will undermine public health and could harm truck owners and small businesses.

“California has documented significant price disparities between similar zero-emission trucks sold here and abroad, with U.S. prices often being much higher. They’ve also uncovered what appear to be manufacturer-imposed limits on the sale of clean diesel trucks, which could undermine the Omnibus Regulation in key states, like Oregon. The bottom line is that powerful truck makers must fully commit to cleaning up their fleets. States should look into the practices CARB has documented, and insist that truck makers sell clean products at fair prices.”

Earlier this year, Evergreen published "Keep on Trucking: The Biggest Coordinated Investment in Freight Electrification Is Here" demonstrating that trucks can decarbonize fast with a mix of good policy, manufacturer planning, and public support. Evergreen has also called for continued and urgent attention to be paid to the market power of the big truck companies. 

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