On January 13, 2025, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) withdrew three waiver requests that would have phased-out diesel trucks, trains, and commercial harbor craft by 2036. The diesel truck and locomotive rules were considered the most legally controversial.
The Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation would have required cargo trucks that serve ports and rail yards, known as drayage trucks, to be ZEVs by 2035; off-road vehicles to by fully ZEVs by 2035; and medium and heavy-duty vehicles to be fully ZEVs by 2045. The rule, which CARB proposed in 2022, would also have required all new heavy trucks sold in California to be ZEVs by 2036.
The In-Use Locomotive rule would have phased out new diesel engine passenger locomotives by 2030 and freight locomotives by 2035.
The Commercial Harbor Craft rule would have required new harbor craft to be zero-emissions. It would have applied the zero-emission and advanced technologies (ZEAT) standards for in-use short-run ferries and emissions standards for in-use engines and vessels, excluding commercial fishing vessels.
Earlier in January, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted California waivers to the Clean Air Act to set zero-emissions standards for lawn mowers and leaf blowers as well low-emissions rules for refrigerated trucks and certain off-road vehicles. The administration also approved two clean vehicle regulations in December.
Governor Gavin Newsom had lobbied the Biden administration to approve California’s pending waivers before leaving office, as the incoming Trump administration would be unlikely to approve them.