Summary of NADA Activity on Emissions Regulations

July 2024

• NADA held two meetings with the White House Climate office continuing its discussions regarding the declining rate of EV adoption, the lag in investment in infrastructure, and high EV inventory levels on dealer lots compared to ICE vehicles. 
• On July 24, NADA sent a letter to Members of Congress in support of the FY25 House Interior Appropriations bill, which included language that would temporarily stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from spending funds to implement, administer, or enforce its de facto EV mandates on light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles in FY25 (Secs. 474 and 475). See NADA letter here.
• On July 26, NADA submitted comments regarding amendments to CARB’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations encouraging the agency to harmonize its ZEV program with EPA’s already stringent GHG regulation, address allocation issues stemming from adoption of ACC II by other states pursuant to Clean Air Act section 177, and better align ACC II with consumer demand for ZEVs.

June 2024 

• ATD supported a congressional letter led by Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw its Phase 3 GHG rule, which would mandate zero emission medium and heavy-duty trucks. There are 106 bicameral cosigners, and the letter will stay open through the ATD Fly-In.
• ATD President Laura Perrotta sent a letter to Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Rep. Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) in support of joint resolutions (S.J.Res. 74/H.J.Res. 133), which would disapprove of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3” rule.

May 2024

• On May 30, NADA sent a letter of support to Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Rep. John James (R-Mich.) for their legislation (S.J.Res. 75/H.J.Res. 136) to disapprove the EPA’s final emissions rule for light-duty vehicles. This legislation is expected to be voted on by Congress by mid-September. See NADA letter here.

April 2024

• NADA supported S. 4072, Sen. Mike Crapo’s (R-Idaho) bill which would stop the EPA from spending funds in FY 2024 to implement its greenhouse gas rule for MY 2027-2032 light- and medium-duty vehicles. 
• On April 18, S. 4072 garnered a majority of the Senate with a 52-46 vote, but a 60-vote threshold was needed for passage. Significantly three Democratic Senators and an Independent voted in support of the bill. 
• ATD issued a statement opposing the final EPA GHG Phase 3 Rule. Click here to view the ATD statement on the GHG Phase 3 Rule.

March 2024

• ATD met with the head of the EPA Office of Air and Radiation, the office responsible for the Phase 3 rule, to reemphasize that the direction the agency was headed with respect to the final rule was unworkable and would have significant negative effects on truck dealerships.

February 2024

• NADA hosted Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm at the NADA Show, where she talked to vendors and NADA’s Industry Relations team about the millions of dollars in investments that dealers are making in EVs. NADA staff also emphasized the message that the proposed CAFE and EPA regulations (for which the DOE plays a coordinating role), exceed reasonable expectations of consumer demand. Secretary Granholm also participated in a Live Stage segment where dealers asked her candid questions about the pace of electrification.
• NADA and ATD met with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to discuss the proposed EPA GHG and Phase 3 Heavy Duty Truck regulations prior to finalization of the rules, expected in March.

January 2024

• NADA held two meetings with the White House Climate office reemphasizing the declining rate of EV adoption, the lag in investment in infrastructure, and high EV inventory levels on dealer lots compared to ICE vehicles. Staff also emphasized the complete infeasibility of the proposed Phase 3 regulations for heavy-duty trucks.

December 2023

• Senior NADA staff held an in-person meeting with the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Office of Air and Radiation at the EPA, who is in charge of the EPA proposed emissions regulation. NADA reemphasized the complete unworkability of the EPA’s proposed rule and strongly urged the EPA to reduce the stringency of the rule and allow for more PHEVs. 
• NADA voiced support for a letter led by U.S. Rep Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) in support of pausing implementation of any new EPA rule on EVs for one year. The NADA-backed letter was sent to Republican leadership with 223 total signers (35 Senators, 188 Members of the House).   
• NADA voiced support for the CARS Act – a measure that would stop the EPA from proceeding with its proposed rule that would effectively require 67.5% of light- and medium-duty vehicle sales to be electric by 2032. This bill passed the House on Dec. 6 by a vote of 221-197.

November 2023 

• NADA continued to hold numerous meetings with senior White House and EPA political and career officials, voicing practical concerns about the impact of the proposed emissions regulation and providing data demonstrating why the regulations will slow, rather than accelerate, EV adoption.
• NADA and ATD jointly sent a letter to members of Congress urging support of the House Interior-Environment Appropriations bill (H.R. 4821), which would prevent the EPA from finalizing or implementing the unrealistic EV mandates for light-duty and medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The House passed H.R. 4821 on November 3.
• NADA published an op-ed in Automotive News urging policymakers to consider plug-in hybrids as a bridge to EVs.
• ATD in conjunction with NextGen Chair Korey Neal, held a site visit with EPA officials at Neal’s dealership, K. Neal Truck & Bus Center, in Hyattsville, Md. 
• NADA influenced a front-page New York Times article about the realities confronting policymakers with EV tax credits. NADA Director and Past Chairman Rhett Ricart was quoted as a Ford dealer on the front lines.

October 2023

• NADA filed extensive comments on NHTSA’s CAFE rule, which – combined with the EPA rule – would accelerate required EV adoption beyond consumer demand and ahead of necessary infrastructure.
• NADA staff began monthly meetings with the White House to express concerns about administration EV policy—highlighting the gap in days’ supply of EV v. ICE vehicles, plateauing demand and using PHEVs as a bridge to EV adoption.
• The EPA contacted NADA/ATD stating that they would postpone finalizing their GHG Phase 3/EV mandate rule until March 2024 to further consider industry’s objections to the rule. (This rule was previously anticipated to finalize in December 2023.)
   

September 2023 

• At the Washington Conference, NADA staff urged Ali Zaidi, White House Climate Advisor in charge of domestic EV policy, to reduce the stringency of the EPA proposed rule and to slow-down EV adoption. Dealers and ATAEs pressed Congress to correct EPA’s EV policy during their Capitol Hill visits.
• NADA urged Members of Congress to sign a letter led by Rep. Lisa McClain, which expressed strong opposition to “EPA’s misguided attempt” to push EVs before consumers are ready. 
• NADA supported the “Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act” (H.R. 1435) which would stop California’s attempt to ban gas-powered vehicles. The House passed H.R. 1435 on Sept. 14 by a vote of 222-190.

July 2023 

• NADA filed extensive comments in response to EPA’s proposal, focused on the vehicle demand side of the equation. NADA stressed that new standards must account for factors such as vehicle affordability, consumer incentives, charging infrastructure, utility capacity, and model availability.
• Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) and Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) sent an ATD-backed letter (signed by 32 Members of Congress) to the EPA urging the agency to consider the trucking industry’s concerns regarding these new EV mandates and the impact on affordability and reliability of these vehicles.

June 2023

• NADA/ATD submitted comments to EPA on the proposed GHG Phase 3 Rule. 
• NADA/ATD and ATD Board Members met with EPA’s Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation on the GHG Phase 3 Rule.

May 2023 

• NADA published Dealerships On Track to Invest $5.5 Billion in EV Infrastructure, highlighting the huge investment dealers are spending to support the sales and service of EVs. 
• NADA Regulatory Affairs Committee Member Jeff Weber testified on the problems of the proposal, and submitted remarks for the record.
• Former ATD chair Jodie Teuton testified on behalf of ATD regarding the EPA’s aggressive greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty commercial trucks. See Jodie’s testimony here.
• ATD in conjunction with ATD Member Hank Fracalossi held a site visit with EPA officials at Fracalossi’s dealership Tri-County International Trucks Inc. in Dearborn, Mich. ATD Chairman Scott McCandless and NextGen Chair Korey Neal attended and were instrumental in guiding the conversation and providing their perspective and experience.

March 2023 

• ATD, the American Trucking Associations (ATA), and several other trucking industry stakeholders established the Clean Freight Coalition (CFC). The CFC is focused on educating policy makers on the progress the trucking industry has made in reducing emissions and protecting the environment, promoting the work underway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from freight transportation and advocating for public policies that transition toward a zero-emission future while maintaining affordable and reliable freight transportation and protecting the nation's supply chain.