By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen announced on Wednesday that Arizona and fifteen other states are celebrating a legal win over the State of California. The victory came over costly regulation under the ‘Advanced Clean Fleets’ mandate, which required trucking firms to purchase electric trucks to replace all diesel models. The states reached a settlement with California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday.
The “radical” rule, as Petersen described it, would have particularly impacted Arizona trucking companies who operate large fleets in California. It would have imposed costs of over $100,000 per vehicle, “dramatically raising costs for local trucking companies and their customers,” according to a Senate release.
A report from the International Council on Clean Transportation noted that in response to the regulatory change, the Port of Oakland purchased 10 Peterbilt 579EVs at a cost of $5.1 million, or approximately $510,000 per semi-truck, not including maintenance.
“For years, California has operated with near impunity as its leaders passed unconstitutional regulations that brought great harms to Arizona consumers,” Petersen said in a statement.
Petersen offered a direct criticism of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes for her “absence” on the matter.
“In the absence of our Attorney General holding California accountable to the rule of law, the Arizona Legislature gladly stepped up to protect our citizens from this egregious abuse of power and emerged victorious. We are grateful for the coalition of attorneys general who helped force California to capitulate from its misguided position on this illegal mandate, and we vow continued vigilance on behalf of the citizens we serve.”
According to the AZ Senate GOP Caucus, California’s regulators have pledged to launch rulemaking proceedings to officially strip the new rule from the state’s regulations. They conceded that California’s 2036 ban on the sale of internal-combustion trucks is unenforceable unless and until the ban receives a Clean Air Act preemption waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Citing an “absence” of action from AG Mayes and the Hobbs administration, Petersen stated that he has led and/or joined over 60 legal efforts in state and federal courts “to defend the rule of law on behalf of the Arizona Legislature.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
