California air regulators and truck manufacturers struck an agreement Thursday on emissions requirements, the result of a months-long negotiation process that will give companies more flexibility to transition to the state's zero-emissions standard.
The Clean Truck Partnership was announced by the California Air Resources Board and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association after three months of negotiations. Leaders said in a statement that the deal includes new flexibility for manufacturers to meet emissions requirements while still reaching California's climate and emissions reduction goals.
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Parties to the agreement include some of the nation’s biggest trucking and manufacturing companies, such as Cummins, Daimler Truck North America, Ford Motor, General Motors, and Volvo Group North America, among others.
Under the terms of the deal, CARB agreed to align its rules for trucks with the EPA’s nitrogen oxide emissions standards. Those rules, finalized by the EPA in December, are slightly less stringent than the standards set by California. Still, they are projected to slash nitrogen oxide emissions by roughly 50% by the year 2045 — a reduction that the Biden administration said will prevent up to 2,900 deaths in 2045 alone.
CARB also committed Thursday to providing no less than four years of lead time, and at least three years of regulatory stability, before imposing new zero-emissions requirements.
In return, the truck manufacturers, as well as the EMA, agreed to implement the emissions reduction plan regardless of any court ruling that might undermine California’s authority.
"Through this agreement, we have aligned on a single nationwide nitrogen oxide emissions standard, secured needed lead time and stability for manufacturers, and agreed on regulatory changes that will ensure continued availability of commercial vehicles," Jed Mandel, the president of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, said in a statement Thursday.
Heavy-duty trucks are a major source of pollution in California, as CARB has noted, accounting for nearly one-third of the state’s nitrogen oxide pollution, and more than 25% of its particulate pollution.
Critically, the deal also helps the state avoid a costly legal challenge from manufacturing groups, which had sharply criticized California’s proposed rule and argued it was neither technologically nor financially feasible.
“The unprecedented collaboration between California regulators and truck manufacturers marks a new era in our zero-emission future, where we work together to address the needs of both the trucking industry and the Californians who deserve to breathe clean air,” CARB Chairwoman Liane Randolph said in a statement. “This agreement makes it clear that we have shared goals to tackle pollution and climate change and to ensure the success of the truck owners and operators who provide critical services to California’s economy.”
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News of the deal was praised by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA). “Today, truck manufacturers join our urgent efforts to slash air pollution, showing the rest of the country that we can both cut dangerous pollution and build the economy of the future,” he said in a statement.
EPA, for its part, said Thursday that it welcomed the news "and looks forward to reviewing the details of this agreement."