Senate clears path for propane marketer fleets

The U.S. Congress made another crucial decision to protect energy choice, this time as it relates to the propane industry’s delivery vehicles, according to the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA).

On May 22, the U.S. Senate passed disapproval resolutions under the Congressional Review Act to rescind the Biden administration’s Advanced Clean Trucks and low-NOx Omnibus waivers granted to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). NPGA shared the news as a member alert.

“For CARB’s rules to go into effect, they need a waiver from the EPA. They want to have a greater portion of the fleet within the state be zero emission,” explains Ben Nussdorf, general counsel and senior vice president, regulatory and industry affairs, for NPGA. “The federal government has rules to this effect too, but CARB’s rules are more aggressive in terms of the penetration into the market and earlier than the federal government.”

The waivers, NPGA says, would allow California to mandate zero-emissions regulations on cars sold in the state, require manufacturers to meet ramped-up targets for zero-emission heavy- and medium-duty trucks through 2035 and target emissions of nitrogen oxides by trucks and buses.

NPGA says the rulings impact 16 other states, including Washington, D.C., that previously adopted California’s air quality standards.

With the repealed waivers, Nussdorf adds, “There should be greater certainty, [with] significant impacts both inside and outside of California, and it will allow those marketers or transporters sufficient time to prepare effectively for any changes that come down the line.”

The resolution now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature, which NPGA expects to become official. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has indicated the state is ready to challenge the congressional resolutions in court, the association adds.

But for now, NPGA President and CEO Steve Kaminski writes on LinkedIn, “This vote is monumental for keeping bobtails as we know them on the roads and driving the propane industry forward!”

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