Trenton, NJ — Clean Water Action called on the Murphy Administration to strengthen and fast track DEP’s proposed Omnibus Heavy Duty Vehicle (HDV) rule and do much more to reduce dirty truck emissions that are making children sick, killing vulnerable populations and contributing to the ongoing climate catastrophe. Notice and details on the proposed rule can be found here. The full verbal testimony is below.

“Clean Water Action is a national organization with 150,000 NJ members that has worked for over two decades to get rid of dirty diesel in school buses, port drayage trucks and equipment, as well as construction, municipal and garbage truck fleets. More recently, the proliferation of warehouse development in the Garden State has become a growing concern about traffic and harmful diesel emissions.

“According to the World Health Organization, diesel is a known human carcinogen. It also causes a number of public health harms including but not limited to respiratory disease, asthma, strokes, heart attacks and premature death. It is a very potent ground level pollutant. Living, playing, working and/or going to school on truck corridors, or near a port and warehouses is a hazard to your health. Black Carbon (or soot) emissions are one of the largest contributors to global warming and ice melting which is accelerating sea level rise. NJ, FL and LA are the three most climate impacted states in the nation in this regard.

“On a positive note, if NJ adopts California’s Omnibus HDV rule, it will: require truck emission levels for NOx to be up to 90% lower than the current standards starting in 2027; prevent backsliding of Particulate Matter levels with the improvement of NOx emissions; address emissions during use when emissions typically rise (i.e. idling, low load use); and extend the engine/emission control warranty so that emission controls are required to be more effective over a longer period and emission standards hold up over time.

“While the already adopted Advanced Clean Truck and now proposed HDV rules have value, are stronger than the federal EPA and should move forward, they are fundamentally not the answer to the environmental injustices that occur each and every day in port adjacent neighborhoods. They will not take any of the oldest and dirtiest diesel trucks off the road for decades. There is no mechanism to prevent the dirtiest of the diesel trucks from operating at the port and along logistics corridors as the port continues to grow – 20,000 truck trips a day and rising.

“Additionally, we generally object to any policies that allow emission averages or credits within a family or class of trucks – i.e. offsetting dirtier engine model trucks with some set number of cleaner diesel or EV trucks. A true environmental justice policy would have no trading or credits. There would be an absolute mandatory reduction in emissions, particularly in already overburdened communities, either by mandating only the cleanest of diesel truck fleets or better yet only Zero Emission (ZE, electric) truck corridors without ZE-dirty diesel truck swapping allowed at the edge of a ZE zone or corridor. The proposed policy allows pollution shifting within a family of trucks and between manufacturers. This should not be allowed as port drayage trucks are typically where trucks go to die and stay in close proximity of the port (less than 50-75 miles) concentrating diesel emissions, health traffic and other impacts even further.

“Clean Water Action is beginning to closely follow the development of California’s Advanced Clean Fleets rule with regards to port drayage trucks. If it progresses as we wish, it would only allow zero emission/electric trucks to enter California ports beginning in 2024.

“The Murphy Administration must also move forward with a black carbon rule. We understand it’s drafted but gathering dust somewhere in or around NJDEP and/or the Governor’s Office to benefit polluters while people gasp for breath and struggle against climate catastrophe. Free the black carbon rule!

“The NJDEP is often asked to make a “balanced” decision. In talking about balance and government, it is the NJDEP’s job is to protect and serve the public, health of people and the environment, mitigate against climate and make us more resilient to our climate future. It is not your job to bend to the requests by the Engine Manufacturers’ Association and other corporate interests to delay adoption of laws, rules and other tools. The NJDEP must be bold and take whatever steps you can to always do better which includes mandating the reduction of diesel emissions and related harms especially in BIPOC, low income and language isolated communities and in these communities as the first and highest priority.”

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