Rep. Boshart Davis: Public Hearing on Delaying Clean Trucks Rule

From Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis

SALEM, OR – The House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment held a public hearing on House Bill 3119 today, a bipartisan bill that would delay Oregon’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate on medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

On January 1, Oregon’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule went into effect, limiting Oregonians’ choices when trying to purchase diesel-powered RVs, tow trucks, heavy-duty pickups like Ford F-350s, snowplows, cement mixers and over-the-road semi-tractor-trucks that move our economy.

House Bill 3119 would delay the implementation of these rules by two years to give Oregon more time to build out the charging infrastructure these regulations would require and give technology more time to advance.

“Oregonians are frustrated with our cost of living,” Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R, Albany) said. “These regulations are not only unattainable, they will only fuel price increases in every sector of our economy. In some cases, they require manufacturers to sell products that don’t yet exist. Class 8 EV tractor trucks cost twice as much, haul 25% less, and can travel only about half the distance. The math doesn’t math.”

“This bill is an easy solution – it’s a layup,” Boshart Davis continued. “We have a chance to delay rules that require Oregon businesses to sell products that don’t exist, without support, and that people don’t want. If they did, these mandates wouldn’t be needed. To use a transportation metaphor, these rules put the cart before the horse.”

Written testimony in favor of the bill outnumbered those opposed by nearly a 4:1 margin, according to the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS). Over 60 signed up to give testimony today in committee but were not given the opportunity because of time.

Watch Representative Boshart Davis’ full testimony here. The testimony is also attached in written form.