HYANNIS – The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has filed a series of emergency regulations to continue the reduction of transportation emissions and the accelerate integration of zero-emission vehicles (ZEV).
The filing represents the initial step in a three-month process to make the regulations permanent, with a public hearing scheduled for January 21, 2022 and a 30-day period for public comment ending on January 31, 2022.
The regulations were filed in lockstep with California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulation mandating increased ZEV truck sales beginning with Model Year 2025 and increasing through Model Year 2035.
It reflects Massachusetts’ laws requiring the state to adopt California motor vehicles emissions standards facilitating larger reductions in emissions than those of the federal government.
The transportation sector accounts for about 40 percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions statewide.
Adopting California’s regulations will help to reduce air pollution across the Commonwealth and protect our environment and the public health,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg.
“Adoption of these rules will also address environmental justice concerns in communities that are disproportionately impacted by medium- and heavy- duty vehicle traffic,” he added.
The latest changes include Heavy-duty Omnibus regulation setting emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles and engines, and Advanced Clean Trucks regulation to accelerate markets for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
The regulations are part of a long-term plan by the state to drastically reduce medium- and heavy- duty vehicle emissions of nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and greenhouse gasses in the coming decades.
“Massachusetts continues to take aggressive action to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, and addressing pollution from medium- and heavy- duty vehicles and advancing the market for clean trucks is an essential part of this effort,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides.
“Reducing emissions from trucks will help support public health by improving air quality, reducing the risk from exposure to toxic diesel pollution, and reducing emissions that contribute to climate change.”
For more information about the public comment period, click here.
By, Matthew Tomlinson, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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