Colorado Energy Office Report a Green Light for Clean Trucks
DENVER — The Colorado Energy Office released a report prepared by MJ Bradley & Associates showing that adopting two new policies to get clean trucks on the road can save Coloradans up to $20.4 billion over the next 30 years. The Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule would require truck manufacturers to increase sales of zero-emission trucks in the state, while the Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO) rule would require manufacturers to reduce air pollution from new combustion-engine trucks.
The following is a statement by Patricio Portillo, a transportation analyst at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
“Getting more clean trucks on the road is critical to addressing Colorado’s pervasive air pollution. This report confirms that powering trucks with clean electricity rather than dirty diesel will improve public health and cut costs for all Coloradans. Fleet owners can save big due to lower maintenance and fuel costs, and utility customers will see lower monthly electricity bills. Colorado should move swiftly to adopt the Advanced Clean Truck and Heavy-Duty Omnibus rules, which are already moving forward in several other states.”
Background
Transitioning to zero-emission trucks is essential to clean up the dirty air that is making our communities sick. Fossil fuel-powered trucks emit fine particulate pollution together with smog-forming gases. These pollutants lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases—including asthma, lung cancer, heart attacks, and strokes—and can cause premature death.
Pollution from fossil fuel-powered trucks is especially prevalent in communities of color and low-income communities, which are more likely to be located near freeways and freight hubs. Pollution also disproportionately harms those who work in and alongside these trucks, such as railroad employees, truck drivers, and warehouse workers.
Colorado has already joined with fourteen other states in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) committing to zero-out toxic air pollution from new medium- and heavy-duty truck and bus sales by 2050. Adopting the ACT and HDO rules would represent significant progress toward this MOU commitment, which is the largest-ever multi-state collaboration to clean up transportation pollution.
For more information on clean trucks and the ACT and HDO rules, please see this blog from NRDC transportation experts.
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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.