Hochul urged to delay truck 'net-zero' emissions mandate

A group of Republican lawmakers are urging New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to delay implementation of tough new zero-emissions standards targeting trucks, citing the impact on the state's business climate.

In a letter to Hochul, the 17 Republican lawmakers called on the governor to delay the implementation of the so-called Advanced Clean Truck regulations and create a task force "to hear from stakeholders on a more responsible, practical solution that will work for everyone."

The lawmakers wrote that "zero emission" truck technology is "still in its infancy" and noted that the majority of those vehicles "cost three to four times the average cost of a diesel-powered vehicle."

"Requiring the purchase of these vehicles within a substantially limited time frame artificially creates an imbalance between demand and supply, which will drive costs even higher, both on the truck dealers and small businesses," they wrote. "While larger corporations may be able to afford this expense, many small businesses cannot, forcing them to keep older fleet trucks, with significantly higher emissions, on the road longer in order to maintain reasonable expenses."

While the emissions regulation is "admirable in its intentions," the lawmakers wrote, New York is "not currently in a position to adopt it in a manner which is feasible and affordable."

"Clean air is a vital resource that our conference has long fought for and believes in protecting," they wrote. "However, like with all facets of governance, we must be prudent about how we achieve those goals."

Among those who signed the letter was Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, who said emissions limits are "the latest example of a mandate that was implemented without properly considering the impacts on small businesses, in addition to the lack of adequate infrastructure to meet the intended goals."

"We have heard from many concerned businesses, and are calling on Governor Hochul to delay the implementation and form a task force to hear from stakeholders on a more responsible, practical solution that will work for everyone," Ortt said in a statement.

A 2021 law signed by Hochul eliminates sales of gas-powered passenger cars, trucks, off-road vehicles and equipment by 2035; and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045. Truck manufacturers will be required, starting with the 2025 model year, to reduce annual sales of new zero-emission trucks by increasing levels, according to the rules, which are set to go into effect in January.

The plan is modeled after California's Advanced Clean Trucks regulations and joins Massachusetts, New Jersey and other states with similar guidelines aimed at helping clean up some of the nation's largest sources of planet-warming greenhouse gases.

"New York is implementing the nation’s most aggressive plan to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions affecting our climate," Hochul said in a statement at the time. "To reach our ambitious goals, we must reduce emissions from the transportation sector, currently the largest source of the state’s climate pollution."

But GOP lawmakers said the standards are unreachable with existing electric-vehicle technology and point to a lack of electric vehicle charging stations and power grid capacity to handle the shift to zero emissions trucking.

"I implore the governor to listen to their concerns and at the very least delay the implementation as vehicles required under these stringent guidelines simply do not exist," said Sen. Anthony Palumbo, R-New Suffolk, a member of the Senate's Committee on Environmental Conservation. "This regulation would place undue financial and operational burdens on our highway departments and severely impact their ability to keep our roads clear for motorists and emergency vehicles."