California’s government, under the leadership of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, is pushing ahead with broad climate action targeting the transportation sector, actions that could have major economic consequences.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB), the state’s primary environmental regulator, has announced a rapid transition from traditional oil-fueled transportation to zero-emission alternatives as it pursues broader climate change issues. finalized new regulations mandating CARB has identified passenger vehicles, heavy trucking, freight trains, and port vessels to be eligible for the switch.
“We can solve this climate crisis by focusing on the big, bold steps we need to take to reduce pollution,” Newsom said in August 2022.
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The governor’s comments came shortly after CARB finalized regulations that would phase out new gasoline-powered vehicles and require sales of 100% electric vehicles by 2035. Nearly 20 other states have since adopted these regulations, meaning more than 40% of the country will be affected. Make it compulsory to some extent.
Environmental activists across the country are focusing on transportation, citing its high carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to global warming. The transportation sector accounts for 39% of California’s carbon dioxide emissions, the largest share of all sectors, and more than the industrial and power sectors combined, according to the latest state data.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has repeatedly promoted policies to accelerate the electrification of the state’s transportation sector. (Getty Images)
The state’s broader efforts to electrify its transportation sector are part of Newsom’s California Climate Action Plan, which he announced two years ago. The plan calls for the state to phase out its dependence on fossil fuels and deploy green energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% and oil demand by a staggering 94% by 2045. The aims.
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The new regulations have drawn widespread criticism from Republicans, Democrats, and consumer and industry groups, who say such a plan is unfeasible and unfeasible. The Automotive Innovation Alliance, which represents major automakers and supports the transition to electric vehicles, said in a recent federal filing that it has “continued concerns about the feasibility” of the plan.
A driver charges an electric car at a charging station in Monterey Park, California, on August 31, 2022. (Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
“CARB has an ideological commitment to reducing transportation emissions,” said Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Energy, Climate and Environment. “They especially don’t seem to like personal mobility, the ability to ride any type of vehicle and go anywhere they want.
“So people are being told that whether they like it or not, they’re going to have to get used to electric cars and go to places with charging stations. This is an ideological, semi-religious, cult That seems to be the point of view.”
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According to data from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, EVs will account for 9.5% of new compact vehicle sales in 2023, up from 7% in 2022 and 4.3% in 2021. California regulations go into effect next year, requiring 35% of 2026 model year vehicle purchases to be electric, and a year later, 43% of 2027 model year vehicle purchases will be electric. .
In addition to this mandate, CARB adopted the nation’s most aggressive truck electrification plan in April 2023, and shortly thereafter adopted regulations targeting freight train emissions. The former mandates widespread electrification of the heavy vehicle sector by 2035, while the latter mandates that locomotives begin transitioning to zero-emissions technology in 2030.
According to the Truck Engine Manufacturers Association, less than 1% of new vehicle sales in the United States are zero-emission trucks. (Graham Hughes/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The American Trucking Associations slammed the heavy vehicle regulations as setting “unrealistic goals and unattainable schedules.” The Association of American Railroads, which is suing California over freight train regulations, said there is “no clear path to zero-emission locomotives.”
“Commerce is the lifeblood of the economy and the transportation of goods, mostly by trucks and often by trains,” Marlo Lewis, a senior fellow at the Institute for Competitive Enterprise, said in an interview. “An efficient economy is one in which transportation costs are as low as possible, while balancing safety and real environmental concerns.”
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Lewis criticized CARB’s rules for trucking and freight trains, saying they could harm the economy and lead to higher consumer prices.
The American Trucking Associations estimates that trucks will transport a whopping 11.5 billion tons of cargo in 2022. This represents approximately 72% of the total tonnage shipped in the United States. But less than 1% of new vehicle sales in the U.S. are zero-emission trucks, according to the Truck Engine Manufacturers Association. And these electric trucks are still much more expensive than diesel-engine models, they say.
In response to California’s regulations, the Association of American Railroads said there is “no clear path to zero-emission locomotives.” (Luis Antonio Rojas/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In addition, freight railroads transport an additional 1.6 billion tons of raw materials and finished goods each year, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.
“On a qualitative level, the cost of national transportation services, private, commercial, industrial, etc., will increase significantly,” said Benjamin Zeicher, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. There’s no room for that.”
“Even if you make assumptions and make wild assumptions about the benefits in terms of climate phenomena and everything else, the benefits cannot exceed the costs. That’s just not possible,” he added.
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Additionally, CARB recently revised its Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations to require cleaner upgrades and new technology for a wide range of vessels, including tugs, tugboats, and barges. In particular, ships must be fitted with diesel particulate filters, a major retrofit some groups are concerned about safety.
American Waterways Operators (AWO), which represents the tugboat, tugboat and barge industry, opposes the regulation due to concerns about diesel particulate filters (DPFs) igniting. Jennifer Carpenter, president and CEO of AWO, wrote in an opinion piece for the DC Journal:
“While the truck driver may be able to escape the fire, the vessel’s crew’s only option may be to abandon ship, which is dangerous and always a last resort. It is also dangerous, creating a new fire hazard in a busy port. If a DPF were to catch fire on a tugboat with 110,000 barrels of fuel, it would have safety, environmental and property implications.”
and the U.S. Coast Guard wrote a letter Obtained by Politico In February, it notified CARB that it would refuse to enforce its new obligations.
Rep. Michelle Steele (R-Calif.) speaks at a press conference in October 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The vessel restrictions were also the subject of a recent letter from the California Republican Coalition, led by Rep. Michelle Steele. Lawmakers called on CARB to delay implementation of the rule and consider stakeholder feedback.
“CARB appears intent on further cripple our economy and burden our workers,” Steele told FOX News Digital. “Whether it’s the absurd mandate that 100% of new car sales be zero-emission vehicles by 2035, or the downright dangerous mandate that towboats be fitted with defective diesel particulate filters, CARB defies logic and We have repeatedly enacted regulations that harm people.”
Rep. Jay Obanolte (R-Calif.) called the CARB rule “overreach” and “nonsense.”
“In the case of towing vessels, CARB relies on untested technology, which the Coast Guard has indicated it cannot enforce. And when it comes to locomotives, there are no “There are no CARB regulations, and the physics of weight and energy density strongly suggest that there will still be none when the 2030 regulatory goals are met.” he said.
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CARB communications director Lis Mendez said in a statement that the board “works toward our common goals on reducing emissions.”
“The future benefits of zero emissions for Californians are clear, and the state continues to foster innovations that bring better technology, savings, and public health benefits to consumers,” Mendez said. “CARB’s regulations are all developed as part of a rigorous and thorough public process that includes significant engagement from regulated industries, consumers, and other stakeholders. As part of this, we are conducting a financial analysis that includes an assessment of the cost savings and benefits – including public health benefits such as reduced illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to cleaner air. ”
Fox News Digital News Editor Jenny DeHuff contributed to this report.
