Vermont Lawmaker Pushes for Five Year Delay of Advanced Clean Truck Rule Citing Economic Impact

A Vermont lawmaker told the House Transportation Committee on Thursday that the state is not ready for Advanced Clean Trucks and forcing the issue will deal a heavy economic blow. Rep. Chris Keyser,  spoke to the committee as lead sponsor of H. 503, which calls for a five-year delay in implementing the Advanced Clean Truck rule. A total of 44 legislators signed onto the bill, including 10 from the Northeast Kingdom. Advanced Clean Trucks follows California’s waiver of the federal Clean Air Act, which allowed it to implement more stringent requirements for achieving zero-emission vehicles than the federal guidance. It will mean a reduction of gas and diesel-powered trucks for the state’s truck dealers to sell, and opponents in Vermont say the market conditions and the technology aren’t ready for the trucking industry to be electrified. “It would decimate the trucking industry,” Rep. Keyser said.