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EPA Rejects CARB Plan to Test Out-of-State Truck Emissions
Agency Says California Overstepped Federal Law by Applying Rule to Trucks Registered Outside the State; In-State Truck Checks OK
Key Takeaways:
- EPA halted California’s Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Regulation, rejecting roadside remote emissions monitoring for trucks on state roads.
- EPA said applying the rule to out-of-state and foreign-registered vehicles violates the Clean Air Act and federal authority over foreign policy.
- The agency allowed a narrower rule for in-state non-gasoline vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds.
A California program that aimed to remotely measure the emissions output of out-of-state heavy-duty vehicles traveling on state roads has been officially halted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The agency in a final disapproval notice for the state’s Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Regulation program said the initiative — which would measure emissions output on vehicles regardless of where they were registered — likely runs afoul of federal law. The California Air Resources Board needed EPA approval to implement the program.
In its final determination, the EPA stated that applying the rule to out-of-state registered vehicles “is not a proper use of the Clean Air Act’s planning provisions, which empower each state to promote air quality.” The program also would have targeted trucks registered to other countries, which EPA said “violates federal authority over foreign policy matters.”
The CARB plan establishes in-state emissions limits and must be approved by EPA.
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Zeldin
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said, “Americans didn’t vote for California’s policies to be imposed nationwide.” CARB maintained that the regulation was designed to “ensure heavy-duty vehicles operating in California are well maintained and repaired rapidly when needed and promote a level playing field for the businesses that operate them.”
The effort combines roadside emissions monitoring, emissions testing procedures using onboard diagnostics data, emissions checks and data reporting at required intervals, as well as compliance verification requirements for freight contractors, seaports and rail yards.
Despite rejecting the roadside effort, EPA did allow CARB to adopt the rule for non-gasoline combustion vehicles weighing more than 14,000 pounds registered within the state.
American Trucking Associations applauded the move.
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Kelly
“ATA welcomes EPA’s decision to partially reject California’s State Implementation Plan. For too long, California has tried to impose its rules beyond its own borders,” said Patrick Kelly, ATA vice president of energy and environmental affairs. “While this action doesn’t stop the state from continuing to regulate out-of-state trucking fleets, we support the Trump administration’s continued pushback against California’s overreach.”
In an Aug. 25 release, EPA signaled it planned to partially disapprove and partially approve the California plan. The agency stressed that California’s broader clean air efforts were likely beyond its authority and impinged on federal law.
