During debate on the House floor, Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) spoke in support of a resolution to block EPA utilization of California clean air regulations.
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00:00Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of HJ Res 87, a resolution providing for congressional
00:06disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code of the Rule Submitted by the
00:11Environmental Protection Agency relating to California State Motor Vehicle and Engine
00:17Pollution Control Standards, California Heavy Duty Vehicle and Engine Emission Warranty
00:22and Maintenance Provisions, California Advanced Clean Trucks, Zero Emission Airport Shuttles,
00:29Zero Emission Powertrain Certification and Waiver of Preemption Notice of Decision, sponsored
00:35by my friend from the great manufacturing state of Michigan.
00:41In general, what makes these California rules have such an outsized impact on the rest of
00:46the country is that under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, other states can opt in to the
00:53California standard.
00:55So not only does California dominate because of its sheer size, but when a handful of other
01:01states opt in, the California standard becomes the de facto national standard for the United
01:09States.
01:10It's my understanding on just this California EPA waiver for trucks, 10 states, Colorado,
01:17Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and
01:21California have opted in to this regulation.
01:25This is concerning to me because it seems that California is being given super state, super
01:33state status vis-a-vis the other states of the Union.
01:38States can opt in to a proposal of the privileged state or the super state, but are not able to
01:44request a preemption or a waiver from the federal government on their own.
01:50This is either the national standard or the California standard.
01:55There are the only two you can have.
01:57It does not allow for individual states to become the laboratories of innovation and democracy,
02:02as was seen fit and as it was believed to be the case for our federal system.
02:09I believe, Madam Speaker, that the states should be equal.
02:13I am not so sure that we need a super state imposing its preference on the rest of the
02:21country.
02:22If that's what we want, why not cede all authority to California and disband the United States Congress?
02:31Either way, having parallel state vehicle regulatory systems is what really causes manufacturers and
02:38big fleet operators to be concerned.
02:41Now, specifically on this California advanced clean truck rule, this rule creates a complex
02:47credit trading system where truck manufacturers must buy or generate zero emission truck credits
02:52just to have the privilege of doing business in the state.
02:57At the end of the day, this rule is very restrictive on traditional diesel powered trucks.
03:05By 2035, this rule ends up requiring electric big rigs to make up 40% of the class sales.
03:15Now, I'm not here to tell you that electric trucks don't have their place.
03:17We all know they do.
03:19Yard trucks in particular might be an application where electric trucks have an advantage.
03:22Perhaps in certain city delivery situations, those delivery routes could be done with electric
03:26vehicles.
03:27That should be a business decision, not the decision of a waiver granted by bureaucrats from Washington
03:36to a super state to dictate to the rest of the country what our policies should be.
03:42Unfortunately for the independent owner-operators and small trucking companies, this mandate
03:46for electric trucks comes with a very expensive price tag.
03:52A new diesel big rig costs about $180,000.
03:55Electric big rigs can go anywhere from $200,000 to $400,000.
04:01That price tag is going to hit the independent driver, the small owner-operators and the small
04:06fleets hard.
04:07Trucking is a relatively small margin business where time on the road equals money.
04:13I'm afraid that all of these increased costs could lead to more consolidation in the industry
04:19and less competition.
04:21Further these higher rig costs will present a bigger barrier to entry for the owner-operators
04:28and small trucking companies who with current technology would have more charging down time
04:38and accordingly not only are you not able to be on the road but when you're off-road you're
04:44off for a longer period of time and time on the road as I said earlier equals money.
04:48Therefore, it's going to cost more to operate.
04:51Now the big companies might be fine with that but your smaller companies are going to find
04:55it very, very difficult.
04:57This regulation throws a wet blanket on truckers' opportunities to share in the American dream
05:02of starting their own business, starting out with one truck and building it to five and
05:06then maybe getting to ten.
05:07It gives all the power to the big companies.
05:10I believe that this electric truck mandate is going to lead to inefficiency and increased
05:15costs on all products that have to be transported over road.
05:19So I urge all members to join me in voting in favor of House Joint Resolution 87 and ending
05:26this regulatory nightmare.
05:30Thank you, Madam Speaker.
05:31I reserve.
05:32The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized.