Nebraska sues EPA and California on EV truck mandate
Nebraska is taking the lead in a multi-state coalition on two lawsuits that would ‘short circuit’ electric-vehicle mandates on truck owners and operators through out the country.Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed the suits Monday. “Nebraskans and frankly others around the country are frankly under assault from both coasts,” Hilgers was flanked by Gov. Jim Pillen and trucking leaders Monday. One suit is aimed at blocking the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency-imposed rule that requires manufactures to produce more electric trucks.The other suit filed to stop California’s Advanced Clean Fleets law that requires any truck operating in the state be zero emission electric by 2035.”That is in effect an nationwide mandate. When you have 30% of our goods that come into this country come into ports in California, they are saying you can’t do business in California unless you agree to our very radical electric vehicle mandate for trucking companies,” Hilgers said.Pillen said that would be devastating to Nebraska’s agriculture and manufacturing industries.”The product has to get to the ports. Sorry (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom, come on man, get in the game and figure out what’s going on here. We feed the world. We save the planet. The ports are up and down California. You’re going to tell us we can’t our products to the ports. It’s beyond comprehension,” Pillen said. “It’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and fight and defend Nebraska, and that’s what we’re doing.”Hilgers said there currently aren’t enough EV trucks on the market, they cost two to three times more and they have less capacity and range than diesel.”In Nebraska, there is not one trucking charging station in the entire state,” Hilgers said.Nebraska Trucking Association president Kent Grisham said currently 50% of the companies in the state have trucks built after 2010. Those trucks have newer technology with less emissions.”If the argument really is about carbon reduction. We can do that today. If the argument is about something to do with an electrified technology, philosophy or religion, well, that’s a lot farther away than what we are and honest, people are willing to admit,” Gresham said.Hilgers believes neither California nor the EPA has the authority to dictate one type of technology.”The Constitution doesn’t give California Air and Resources Board the authority to dictate national terms to Nebraska, nor has Congress given the EPA the authority to dictate a nationwide mandate to Nebraskans or anyone else,” Hilgers said.KETV Newswatch 7 reached out to California’s governor for comment on the suit. We have not heard back.
Nebraska is taking the lead in a multi-state coalition on two lawsuits that would ‘short circuit’ electric-vehicle mandates on truck owners and operators through out the country.
Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed the suits Monday.
“Nebraskans and frankly others around the country are frankly under assault from both coasts,”
Hilgers was flanked by Gov. Jim Pillen and trucking leaders Monday.
One suit is aimed at blocking the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency-imposed rule that requires manufactures to produce more electric trucks.
The other suit filed to stop California’s Advanced Clean Fleets law that requires any truck operating in the state be zero emission electric by 2035.
“That is in effect an nationwide mandate. When you have 30% of our goods that come into this country come into ports in California, they are saying you can’t do business in California unless you agree to our very radical electric vehicle mandate for trucking companies,” Hilgers said.
Pillen said that would be devastating to Nebraska’s agriculture and manufacturing industries.
“The product has to get to the ports. Sorry (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom, come on man, get in the game and figure out what’s going on here. We feed the world. We save the planet. The ports are up and down California. You’re going to tell us we can’t our products to the ports. It’s beyond comprehension,” Pillen said. “It’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and fight and defend Nebraska, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Hilgers said there currently aren’t enough EV trucks on the market, they cost two to three times more and they have less capacity and range than diesel.
“In Nebraska, there is not one trucking charging station in the entire state,” Hilgers said.
Nebraska Trucking Association president Kent Grisham said currently 50% of the companies in the state have trucks built after 2010. Those trucks have newer technology with less emissions.
“If the argument really is about carbon reduction. We can do that today. If the argument is about something to do with an electrified technology, philosophy or religion, well, that’s a lot farther away than what we are and honest, people are willing to admit,” Gresham said.
Hilgers believes neither California nor the EPA has the authority to dictate one type of technology.
“The Constitution doesn’t give California Air and Resources Board the authority to dictate national terms to Nebraska, nor has Congress given the EPA the authority to dictate a nationwide mandate to Nebraskans or anyone else,” Hilgers said.
KETV Newswatch 7 reached out to California’s governor for comment on the suit. We have not heard back.
