NC Chamber CEO: A proposed EPA rule could strangle NC’s trucking industry
North Carolina’s job creators believe that protecting the environment and running a successful business aren’t mutually exclusive. Our state was recently recognized by CNBC as the top state for business with the nation’s strongest economy.
North Carolina has the largest concentration of commercial vehicle companies, suppliers and employees in America, making us especially interested in the continued success of this critical sector. Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed new rule to further reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from medium-and heavy-duty trucks is of top concern.
We are concerned the proposed rule-making options under consideration are not technologically feasible. This means original equipment makers will spend hundreds of millions of dollars chasing, at worst, an unattainable standard, and, at best, a costly standard, rather than strategically deploying critical resources on proven technologies.
Simply put, the commercial vehicle sector drives the North Carolina economy. Trucks move first responders on critical missions, deliver goods and services to consumers, and will serve as an integral component to rebuilding the state’s infrastructure.
More than 85% of North Carolina communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods. The manufacturing, sale, service, and operation of these vehicles also provides quality, high-paying jobs to hundreds of thousands of workers in the state.
To be effective, the proposed options need to be amended to reduce emissions, protect jobs and produce cleaner air and healthier communities for all. We need a final rule that is:
▪ Customer acceptable: If truck owners and operators choose not to purchase new trucks due to reliability concerns, older and dirtier trucks will stay on roads longer.
▪ Economically viable: If the final rule results in higher costs for manufacturers, fleet owners, and small business owners, they may have no choice but to lay off workers and eliminate jobs in the state.
▪ Environmentally beneficial: An unworkable rule will keep old trucks on the road and delay environmental progress, creating greater harm in the most at-risk communities for air pollution.
▪ A bridge to a zero-emission future: EPA’s rule must not end up diverting critically needed resources away from further zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) development.
As we work to meet the state’s future needs, it is imperative that we strike a smart balance between supporting the growth requirements of job creators in the state and providing common sense safeguards for a healthy environment.
Together with our partners in the commercial vehicle industry, the NC Chamber is committed to working with the EPA and other stakeholders to further reduce emissions from heavy-duty trucks without diverting resources necessary to foster a phased transition to ZEVs.
The economy of North Carolina — and the United States — is dependent on the continued growth, research and reinvestment from commercial vehicle manufacturers as we collectively work together toward reducing emissions in the transportation sector. We are committed to cleaner air and healthier communities in North Carolina, and we will make every effort to ensure the final NOx rule achieves its goals for the state and country.