Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has joined forces with numerous other states in a lawsuit against the Biden Administration and California. The lawsuit challenges the newly imposed restrictions on truck emissions. On Monday, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers initiated the legal action against these environmental regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims that these stringent emissions standards will play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming.
In a statement, Hilgers argued that the phased-in ban on internal-combustion trucks in California is unconstitutional and will have a negative impact on the U.S. economy. He expressed concern that these regulations will devastate the trucking and logistics industry, leading to increased prices for customers and potentially affecting numerous jobs in Nebraska and across the country.
Hilgers later informed reporters that the state of Nebraska currently lacks any trucking charging stations. He expressed his concerns about the challenges of transitioning the trucking industry, which has been built upon decades of diesel and fossil fuel infrastructure, to an electric-based infrastructure, stating that it may not be feasible.
According to EPA officials, the implementation of stringent emissions standards will play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of planet-warming greenhouse gases originating from some of the largest sources in the country.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that the upcoming regulations will be implemented for vehicles produced between 2027 and 2032. According to the agency, these rules are expected to have a significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, potentially preventing up to 1 billion tons of emissions over the next 30 years.
The agency has stated that emissions restrictions could bring significant benefits to approximately 72 million people in the United States. These individuals reside in close proximity to freight routes that are heavily used by trucks and other large vehicles, and they currently bear a disproportionate burden of harmful air pollution.
The EPA spokesperson refrained from commenting on the legal challenge to the new rules on Monday, citing the ongoing litigation.
Starting in 2036, Republican attorneys general are challenging California’s regulations that aim to ban the sale of diesel-powered big rigs and buses in the state.
The California Air Resources Board did not respond to an email seeking comment on Monday.
In recent years, California has been taking assertive steps to eliminate its reliance on fossil fuels. The state has implemented new regulations aimed at gradually phasing out gas-powered vehicles, trains, lawn equipment, and other sources of pollution. However, various industries and Republican leaders in other states have been resisting these efforts.
A group of Republican-led states is challenging California’s authority to establish emissions standards that are more stringent than federal government regulations. Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit determined that these states were unable to demonstrate how California’s emissions standards would result in increased costs for gasoline-powered vehicles within their own states.
The states that joined Nebraska in its recent action against the EPA include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
The following states have joined Nebraska’s lawsuit against California: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
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