California Withdraws Some EPA Requests

Anticipating efforts by the incoming Trump administration to reverse some of the state’s climate agenda, California has withdrawn its requests to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce emission mandates on trucks and trains. The California Air Resources Board (CARB), however, has not rescinded its mandate to require commercial harbor craft to install diesel particulate filters, Politico reported. Those mandates, strongly opposed by maritime interests, remain in place.

California has special authority under a Clean Air Act waiver to enact its own air quality rules, but that authority must be periodically renewed by EPA.

In response, The American Waterways Operators (AWO) said, “The state of California’s decision to relax emissions mandates for rail and trucks but still enforce its Commercial Harbor Craft regulation is deeply concerning. It places vessel owners at a serious operational disadvantage and will drive cargo shipment to the state’s congested highways and over-utilized railways, denying customers and communities the option of the safest, most environmentally friendly, energy-efficient transportation mode. Most troubling is CARB’s choice to go full speed ahead on the regulation in spite of the safety risk to tugboat crews, as conveyed by the U.S. Coast Guard, vessel owners and maritime labor. We urge EPA Administrator-designate [Lee] Zeldin to make reversing the Biden Administration’s waiver for the harbor craft rule a top priority upon being sworn in.”

Harbor craft operators say the rule, which took effect in January, is impossible to comply with and will drive commercial harbor craft, including tugboats, off California waters. California Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier vetoed a bill supported by all but one California legislator that would have mitigated the harbor craft rule.

Zeldin’s confirmation hearing was set for January 16.