Calif. Trucking Association Sues To Halt Advanced Clean Fleets Rule

A lawsuit has been filed to block the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) regulation requiring carriers to transition their trucks to zero-emission vehicles. 

Brought forth Oct. 16 by the California Trucking Association in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, the suit seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction to stop CARB from enforcing the rule, which would begin to take effect in 2024. 

The lawsuit says the regulations “represent a vast overreach that threatens the security and predictability of the nation’s good movement industry.” Specifically, the text notes the rule conflicts with the Federal Clean Air Act and the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994. 

CARB’s ultimate goal is to ban sales of diesel-powered trucks and heavy-duty engines over the next 20 years. The board previously received waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency for its Advanced Clean Fleets rule, allowing it to exceed federal mandates.