N.J. Assembly committee approves delay of clean-truck rule

After hearing more than two hours of testimony, members of a New Jersey State Assembly committee voted Thursday to advance a bill that would delay the implementation of the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rule by two years. The rule was initially set to go into effect in January.

The rule would require manufacturers of medium—and heavy-duty trucks to sell an increasing percentage of new battery-powered vehicles annually to reduce air pollution.

Stakeholders and business owners in Massachusetts are wondering what Commonwealth leaders are waiting for.

From the New Jersey Business & Industry Association.

An Assembly committee on Thursday voted unanimously to advance legislation supported by NJBIA and the state’s trucking industry that would delay the state’s compliance with California’s clean-engine rules for medium and heavy-duty trucks for two years.

Bill A-4967, sponsored by Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-36), was released by the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee after three hours of testimony from businesses who noted the infrastructure for charging fleets of EV trucks is not publicly available yet. The clean truck rule, currently set to take effect Jan. 1, “puts the cart before the horse,” would disrupt supply chains and increase the cost of food and products trucks transport, they said.

Although the Commonwealth announced the Heavy Duty Omnibus regulation would be delayed until 2026, the ACT rules are scheduled to be implemented in about 15 days (Jan. 1, 2025).

The Healy administration also carved out ACT exemptions for certain public works vehicles for state and local governments only.