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Coalition of 17 Red States Challenge California Over Diesel Truck Ban: Massive Supply Chain Disruptions and Inflation Feared

In a significant legal move with far-reaching economic consequences, a coalition of 17 red states, led by Nebraska, is challenging California over its Advanced Clean Fleets regulations that ban the sale of new diesel trucks by 2036. The lawsuit argues that these regulations on internal-combustion trucks and mandate for “zero-emission vehicles” by 2036 are not only in violation of federal law but will also have a nationwide impact and disrupt supply chains, raise prices on goods, and slow interstate transportation.

The lawsuit states: “In a stunning gambit that both violates the constitution and threatens our nation’s economic security, an agency of the State of California has attempted to override federal law and arrogate to itself the power to ban internal-combustion engines in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.” It further alleges that this ban contradicts controlling law while ignoring real-world reality, and subsequently burdening American families and businesses already grappling with high inflation with even more costs.

This massive legal challenge united Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming, along with the Arizona State Legislature and the Nebraska Trucking Association. The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.

In a related development, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced an additional lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its regulations on tailpipe emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. Critics argue that these regulations are essentially targeting traditional trucks in an effort to coerce companies into manufacturing and selling electric vehicles.

The lawsuit against the EPA saw supporting participation from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. This legal action is taking place before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers expressed concern over the implications of these new regulations: “California and an unaccountable EPA are trying to transform our national trucking industry and supply chain infrastructure. This effort—coming at a time of heightened inflation and with an already-strained electrical grid—will devastate the trucking and logistics industry, raise prices for customers, and impact an untold number of jobs across Nebraska and the country.”

In summary, the lawsuits filed by a coalition of 17 red states against California and the EPA highlight the growing concerns over regulations that could hamper the national trucking industry and supply chain infrastructure. In an environment of high inflation and strained electrical grids, the outcome of these legal challenges will have far-reaching consequences for American families, businesses, and the economy as a whole.