NJDEP Proposes Advanced Clean Truck Rule To Electrify Diesel Trucks & Dump Dirty Diesel

Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center

Trenton – Today, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) officially proposed the Advanced Clean Truck rule when it added the regulation to the New Jersey Register of rules and regulations. The Advanced Clean Truck rule is one of many regulations stemming from the Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) effort, in which the Murphy Administration is attempting to both adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. This particular rule will be adopted by reference from California, and will apply to Class 2b through Class 8 trucks of all fuel types, meaning everything from delivery vans to tractor trailers. It is a zero-emissions sales requirement, placed on the manufacturer, that starts in model year 2025 and slowly increases each year through model year 2035.  

New Jersey is the first state, after California, to propose the Advanced Clean Truck rule and begin a regulatory shift towards electric trucks. In December 2020, NJDEP also indicated an intention to propose numerous other regulations to address mobile source pollution from diesel trucks through NJPACT by adopting by reference two other rules from California, and institute periodic inspections of medium-duty vehicles. Today’s Register also includes a Fleet Reporting Requirement that will help inform future rulemaking to reduce diesel emissions from the transportation sector. There will be a virtual public hearing on May 20 and public comments will be due on June 18. 

Hayley Berliner, Clean Energy Associate with Environment New Jersey issued the following statement

“Diesel trucks are incredibly dangerous to human health, causing and exacerbating heart and lung disease, asthma, lung cancer, and even premature death. It is crucial that we prioritize electrifying these dirty diesel trucks to protect public health. The Advanced Clean Truck rule will do just that, accelerating the market for electric trucks in New Jersey, reducing air and climate pollution, and making our communities healthier.

New Jersey is the first state after California to move forward to propose a regulatory mandate to electrify the dirty diesel trucks driving on our roads and through our neighborhoods. This rulemaking follows in the footsteps of New Jersey being the first state in the nation to move forward with Clean Cars standards legislatively, which led to a bevy of other states following our lead more than fifteen years ago. The Murphy Administration is already providing the carrot through RGGI and Volkswagen Settlement dollars to provide direct financial incentives for electrification. But we need a mandate to start to move towards an electrification future for our trucks through the course of this decade and beyond. 

Diesel trucks are a public health and climate scourge, and we need to move to an electrification future for these vehicles. Today’s rule is the first step to make that happen. New Jersey has the opportunity to become the East Coast leader in truck electrification. We would urge a rapid adoption of this rule by the end of the year and for the public to weigh-in in support during the May 20th public hearing. We thank the NJDEP, the Murphy Administration and Gov. Murphy for moving forward to electrify trucks on our roads.”