BY HANNAH SPANGLER
As the Illinois General Assembly reconvenes Jan. 8, one of Illinois Farm Bureau’s® legislative priorities remains opposing the adoption of California emission standards in Illinois.
Strict emission regulations were proposed through legislation introduced during last year’s General Assembly session, but the bill did not pass. However, environmental groups pushed back on the dropped legislation by filing emission regulations for consideration with the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) in June 2024. The proposal petitions for the IPCB to implement three California vehicle emission regulations — the advanced clean car II, the advanced clean truck and the heavy-duty low NOx Omnibus regulations.
“The net effect of those regulations would further speed up and create requirements for the sale of electric vehicles in Illinois,” Bill Bodine, IFB director of business and regulatory affairs, told FarmWeek. “The environmental groups intend for the regulations to be a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But there are serious challenges that we see going forward with mandating the sale of new electric vehicles in the state.”
The regulations would require an increase in the percentage of zero-emission new light-duty vehicles starting in 2028. By 2035, all new light-duty vehicles delivered for sale would have to be zero emission.
Bodine added that the proposed regulations also include a requirement to increase the percentage of zero-emission new trucks delivered for sale. Additionally, the proposal mandates lower emissions for engines used in heavy-duty trucks, including diesel engines.
“Consumers should have the flexibility to buy the vehicle they feel best meets their needs. Biofuels, like ethanol and biodiesel, are also a solution that should be considered for reducing the environmental impact and GHG emissions from vehicles,” Bodine said about IFB’s opposition to the regulations.
Rural areas could face challenges from the regulations as they largely lack the infrastructure needed for electric vehicle charging, Bodine said. There’s a significant cost if rural residents have to install their own charging infrastructure on their homes or farms or upgrade their electrical service to meet the increased demand from vehicle charging.
Moving forward, Bodine shared that IFB will submit information to the IPCB, expressing its opposition to the regulations. Following the hearing for supporters of the proposal to present testimony before the IPCB in early December 2024, opponents will have the same opportunity in March 2025.
“We are working with others who are like-minded and oppose this as well to ensure that all the different issues are raised, not just for agriculture, but for the various sectors of the economy that could be negatively impacted as a result of these proposed regulations,” Bodine said.
The supporters of the regulations claim the IPCB could implement the regulations under the authority of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. However, Bodine explained that if the IPCB does so, the process requires further approval from the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
“It is particularly troublesome that the advocates would choose to file this petition directly with the IPCB,” said Chris Davis, IFB director of state legislation. “This is a policy that absolutely needs consideration from elected legislators with accountability to voters in Illinois.”
Content for this story was provided by FarmWeekNow.com.