The Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) policy is a state-level regulation that requires manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) each year, requiring sales of 7% zero-emission vehicles for the largest trucks (class 7-8) in 2025, ending at 40% in 2035. California is the only state allowed to design its own emissions standards that are stricter than federal ones, but as per Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, other states are allowed to follow suit and adopt regulations California has crafted. These states are commonly referred to as Section 177 states.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB), and other state agencies that have enacted the ACT regulation, require a waiver of preemption from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to enforce the policy. EPA granted a waiver of preemption for the ACT regulation in March 2023, and this has enabled other US states to adopt and enforce the regulation. To date, the ACT regulation has been adopted by California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
In an agreement known as the Clean Trucks Partnership, many major manufacturers agreed to meet the targets of the Advanced Clean Trucks rule in California regardless of any attempts by other entities to challenge California’s authority.
As of June 2025, the waiver of preemption required for the California and other US states to enforce Advanced Clean Trucks rule has been revoked by the federal government, which should prevent US states from enforcing the rule. The US Congress and EPA utilized the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to revoke the waiver, ignoring warnings from the Government Accountability Office that the EPA’s waiver of preemption for the rule was not subject to the Congressional Review Act.
After an investigation from the Federal Trade Commission, Daimler, PACCAR, Volvo Group, Volkswagen, and the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association stated that the Clean Trucks Partnership was “rendered unenforceable.”
Federal Approval Repealed
Federal Approval Repealed
General Motors, Stellantis, Toyota, and the CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation issued statements on 1 March supporting the Transportation Freedom Act. The bill would repeal existing emissions standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty transport in the US, and also remove California and other states' authority to enforce zero-emission vehicle sales targets.
Specifically, Title II of the Transportation Freedom Act would repeal existing light- and medium duty GHG emissions standards for passenger cars and trucks MY2027+, phase 3 GHG emissions standards for heavy-duty motor vehicles MY2030+, and corporate average fuel economy standards for passenger cars and light trucks MY2027+ and heavy duty trucks MY2030-2035. New, less stringent GHG emissions standards would be drafted by the current EPA. Title III would remove the waivers granted to California to enforce its own emissions standards and zero-emission vehicle sales targets, and also repeal Section 177 of the Clean Air Act, which enables other US states to follow California's emissions standards. These actions would prevent California and all other participating US states from enforcing the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, Advanced Clean Cars II rule, Advanced Clean Fleet rule, and other California-led policies.
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