A coalition of more than 30 business and industry groups, including NJBIA, have sent a letter to New Jersey’s legislative leadership to pass a bill that would delay the state’s compliance with California’s clean-engine rules for medium and heavy-duty trucks.
Bills A-4967 (Calabrese, D-36); S-3817 (Diegnan, D-18) were introduced in October.
They require the state Department of Environmental Protection to delay the implementation of the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulations, currently scheduled to start on Jan. 1, 2025, until at least Jan. 1, 2027.
“While the point of compliance is upon truck manufacturers, they are enforcing it against truck dealers,” the letter to Senate President Nick Scutari and Assembly Leader Craig Coughlin said.
“As of fall 2024, New Jersey truck dealers report that they are not able to satisfy customer requests for new heavy-duty diesel trucks since they haven’t sold the requisite number of heavy-duty EV trucks.
“They haven’t sold enough heavy-duty EV trucks for one reason, no one wants to buy them in proportion to how many the manufacturers are requiring to be sold.”
The coalition also provided a list of reasons why the rule should be delayed. Among them: the high cost of EV heavy-duty trucks compared to regular heavy-duty trucks; as well as the lack of EV infrastructure available.
Additionally, they said, multi-state truck fleets adoption of ACT may result in them re-domiciling in a state that has not adopted the regulation.
“For many, they already have physical locations in other states,” the letter said. “This means the annual registration of approximately $1,500 per truck will go to another state. And those new diesel trucks will drive the same routes, serve the same customers, and park in the same New Jersey locations as they do today.”
To see the full coalition letter to New Jersey’s legislative leadership, click here.
