This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted California approval to move forward on two regulations. If the EPA puts the California waivers in place, they are sure to hit RVers hard. These regulations are in addition to the rule that some say would effectively ban new motorhome sales. Tow a car? Pull your trailer with a pickup? Hang on, these other regulations will put the brakes on. By 2035, sales of these vehicles, if not “zero emissions,” will be turned off in California—and other states across the country.
EPA California waivers allow tougher emissions standards
An EPA news release published on Wednesday, December 18, summed it up: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granting two requests from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for waivers to implement and enforce its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations for light-duty vehicles, and its ‘Omnibus’ low-NOx regulation for heavy-duty highway and off-road vehicles and engines. Under the Clean Air Act, California is afforded the ability to adopt emissions requirements independent from EPA’s regulations to meet its significant air quality challenges. The state must seek a waiver from EPA for new motor vehicle emission standards.”
Boiled down, the federal government is granting California the ability to enforce vehicle emissions standards more stringent than those under federal law. The EPA press release explained it this way: “California has longstanding authority to request waivers from EPA to protect its residents from dangerous air pollution coming from mobile sources like cars and trucks,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today’s actions follow through on EPA’s commitment to partner with states to reduce emissions and act on the threat of climate change.”
Sales of some pickups and towed cars shut down by 2035
What could affect sales of passenger cars, pickup trucks, and lighter motorhomes is California’s ACC II program. It’s a package of requirements for model year 2026 through 2035 and beyond. Essentially, the regulations will gradually reduce sales of these rigs that are not “zero emissions,” and will shut them down completely by 2035. This applies to both gasoline- and diesel-fueled rigs.
The EPA also granted California permission to implement its Low-NOx regulation. This will affect heavy-duty rigs—those with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,000 pounds or more. That regulation forces engine manufacturers to produce engines with significantly reduced engine NOx (nitrogen oxides) and reduced particulate emissions. For big motorhome buyers, it might not make a great deal of difference, if the RV industry is correct in its argument that they won’t can’t get big motorhome chassis anyway.
Big Class A units aside, what about the regulation that could spell major issues for pickup trucks and cars? Three car companies are meeting California’s standards: Honda, Ford, and Volkswagen. However, industry group Alliance for Automotive Innovation says the states that have adopted California’s rules are falling way short of the 35% of zero-emission sales mark required in 2025. It observes that the 100% goal to be met in 2035 is highly unlikely.
With administration change, will it happen?
Some might argue that the whole thing is a tempest in a teapot—or, for our readers, perhaps a Tiffin in a teapot. Major players affected by the heavy-duty vehicle regulations are commercial truckers. Commenting on the EPA ruling allowing California to move ahead is Todd Spencer. He’s the president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
“EPA’s credibility outside of radical environmental circles would have been better served by working with regulated industries rather than ramming through last-minute special interest favors,” Spencer said. “We look forward to working with the Trump administration’s EPA in good faith towards achievable environmental outcomes.”
Yes, therein lies what some might call the Trump card. The new presidential administration could swiftly change the rules again. While it cannot rewrite California regulations, it could rescind the waiver just granted by the Biden EPA. In a political game reminiscent of ping-pong, Trump yanked California’s authority on emissions in 2019 in his first presidency. When Biden took on the new role in 2022, his EPA restored that authority.
Should the Trump EPA return the serve by reversing the EPA California waivers, here’s an easy guess. Lawsuits will fly. Just how it will all play out remains to be seen.
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##RVT1188b
Isn’t the government supposed to ‘represent the people’? No ‘people’ that I know want any part of this freedom killing legislation.
Must be hanging around the wrong people. California has come a long way from the polluted cities of the 50’s & 60’s in cleaning up their water and air.
They did a fine job fixing the horrible smog problem from back in the 50’s and 60’s. But now they’re getting into the freedoms we’ve all come to love and appreciate. Like choosing what you want to drive, where you want to live, and someday, most likely, where you can work.They just keep pushing and pushing and pushing. Nothing is too crazy for ******fornia!
Winner…winner…chicken dinner.
Don’t you live in Nevada?
Yes, I do.
If they wanted to clean up their air, and everyone elses, they’d invest in better forest management instead of dumping untold millions of tons of CO2 and particulates into everyone’s air with constant massive fires. I’d venture a guess Cali is a top air polluting state in the U.S.
Are you talking about the wildfires caused by the US government or the underburns being conducted to mitigate wildfire?
Yeah, California can rake the forests like trump said in his first term. And it can use immigrants to do it…oh wait they won’t be here for that.
Immigrants aren’t going anywhere, only the illegal immigrants.
I keep saying those politicians in charge in Kalifornia can’t get any crazier – they keep taking that as a challenge!
Good for California.
I agree. I like when such man-made political disasters happen in places other than where I live to serve as a cautionary example. Gonna keep sucking to live in California, but they keep voting for it.
So if all trucking company’s come together and say, We’re not delivering goods to California.
What will they do then when they start an in state chaos for things like food and everyday living supplies. And how about those thousands of diesel fueled ships at all their ports. Will they ban them too. One of those ships emissions probably equals a years driving of a class A DP. Why don’t they spend their energy on creating better mass transportation to reduce vehicle travel. Have you seen their highway gridlock.
I envision massive truck transportation hubs at the CA borders. Truck transfer their loads or transfer their trailers destined for CA cities. Much like cargo ships in ports. Ships nowadays burn some of the nastiest unrefined bulk oil but plug into a power source once docked.
What about all the private, let alone commercial airplanes??? NO MORE PLANES IN Kaliphoney starting 2035!!!
This too will end.
I bet Mr Slick Hair Doodo won’t ban his grape growing equipment!
The single most onerous pollution in Cali comes out of Sacramento.
To anyone who supports this; From now on, live your life devoid of EVERYTHING dependent on fossil fuels. If you are not willing to do this, you lack the courage of your convictions
Yep, it’s all about politics and money…
Not necessarily in that order.
It’s issues like this that will cause a civil war in America or another attack on our federal or state government. Our country is too divided and politicians need to back off taking our rights away. We need politicians that will brings us together and help us.
This is what happens when people don’t read good. The legislation is no new ICE vehicles to be sold starting in 2035. You’ll still be able to purchase fuel for your ICE vehicle (although the majority of readers will no longer be around in 11 years). Used ICE vehicles will still be allowed to sell and be driven and continue to pollute. See how education matters?
*don’t read well.
All that will probably change after Jan 20.
Well good for California.. if you want to live there you know what you are getting into.
If you don’t live in California why do you want to control our efforts to keep the air clean? The word “busybodies” comes to mind. So does intolerance
It would be fine if California would keep all their wind farms and solar farms within their state to generate all the “clean power” that they are mandating. Here in Idaho, we are fighting numerous wind projects that propose hundreds of windmills, some of which will be 660 feet tall. These projects will forever change our public lands and quite possibly damage our aquifer – the lifeblood of our agricultural industry. As our Lieutenant Governor said, “We will know California is serious about green energy when we see wind turbines in Hollywood’s hills.”
Thank you, Russ and Tina. Well, looks like theater of the absurd will continue unabated. Sadly, some have “skin in the game,” and can’t be as cavalier as others. Happy new year and safe travels! 🙂