What Truck and Minivan Drivers Need to Know About Legislation in Minnesota

The Good… (we’re getting better all the time)

Trucks and minivans are currently 99% cleaner than they were in the 1970s. The federal government passed legislation in 2007 (HR 6 – the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007) that will keep the pressure on auto manufacturers, requiring them to improve fuel efficiency even more. Nationwide, all new vehicles will be 40% more efficient with 30% fewer greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

Manufacturers will be stretched to meet these new federal standards, but they are achievable without eliminating trucks minivans or SUVs.  

 

The Bad…(extremists want you to stop driving your truck or minivan)

Environmental extremists are currently pushing Minnesota legislators to adopt California’s Low Emissions Vehicle Program. The only way auto manufacturers can meet the average fleet fuel economy standards by the timelines set out by California’s Low Emissions Vehicle proposal, auto manufacturers would have to limit the sale of low fuel economy vehicles (that is, SUVs, pick-up trucks, and minivans) from their lines, so that they would force the sale of more compact and subcompact cars, which have a higher fuel economy.

Truck and minivan owners need to know that California’s emissions program will severely limit the availability of some trucks and minivans. In addition, many flex-fuel vehicles (those designed to run on blends of gasoline and ethanol) are currently unavailable in California because of these rules.

The Ugly…(there is little measurable gain, but lots of losses if we follow California’s extremists)

Why follow California? They have the worst air quality in the nation – even after regulating emissions for the last 40 years. The American Lung Association just issued its annual report on America’s most polluted cities:

California has 10 of the nation’s 25 most polluted cities
Minnesota has 0.

Passing California’s Low Emissions Vehicles law would be largely symbolic. Reductions in CO2 are minimal at best, compared to continuing under the Federal law.

California Law--Right for Minnesota?

In the USA, vehicle emissions standards are managed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

All states must comply with the EPA’s air quality standards. California had a special waiver from the EPA to enact emissions standards that were more strict than those required by the EPA.

Some other states have tried to get a waiver similar to California’s, but have been denied. In order for a state to adopt standards more strict than those required by the EPA, the only alternative is to adopt California’s emissions standards. It is important to note, that adopting California’s standards means ceding law-making authority to an unelected board of regulators in California. When California’s Air Resources Board makes rules, or changes the rules, the change also applies to the state that has adopted California’s standards. CALEV is a California program designed by California regulators – none of whom are accountable to Minnesotans.

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