Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin, President Donald Trump's pick to oversee the Environmental Protection Agency, was confirmed Wednesday by a 56 to 42 margin.
Zeldin is expected to push deregulation at the EPA, having pledged to "ensure we are protecting the environment while also protecting our economy," at his hearing.
"Over the past several years, the mad dash to zero and a patchwork of unachievable mandates on unrealistic timelines have posed a grave threat to the trucking industry, the supply chain, and our economy," said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear, who issued a congratulatory message to Zeldin via email. "The enormous price tag of this haphazard transition would have significantly raised costs for American consumers without delivering the promised environmental benefits. This was deeply regrettable, because our industry and EPA had worked together for decades to promote major advances in engines and emissions control systems that are 99% cleaner."
In the waning days of the Biden Administration, California abandoned pursuit of its Advanced Clean Fleets waiver, which it had sought from the EPA for more than a year under the expectation that Trump's EPA would deny it.
Spear added the industry looks forward "to the restoration of common sense in our nation’s environmental policies under his leadership of EPA" and "build on our impressive environmental achievements without disrupting the supply chain."
Spear said ATA specifically looks forward to working with Zeldin to replace electric-truck mandates with national emission standards "that are technologically achievable, encourage innovation, and account for the operational realities of our essential industry.”
Truckload Carriers Association President Jim Ward said he too is optimistic about collaborating with Zeldin to develop "common-sense policies that reflect technological advancements, infrastructure readiness, and the essential goal of maintaining an efficient and reliable supply chain. We can ensure that emission standards and timelines are practical and attainable by fostering open dialogue and working together."
"As an active participant in the Clean Freight Coalition, TCA has consistently supported renewable diesel and other alternative fuels as vital steps toward achieving a more sustainable future," Ward said. "We remain committed to advocating for practical and achievable timelines for implementing emission-reduction technologies to ensure the trucking industry’s continued success.
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer noted that regulatory policies are especially hurtful to small operators, who make up 96% of trucking and "have faced an uncertain future in recent years from top-down environmental regulations and mandates. We look forward to working with Administrator Zeldin on common sense environmental policies that consider the local mom and pop trucking businesses that keep America’s supply chain running.”
