Advanced Clean Trucks
UPDATE
As of October 3, 2023: The budget provision (Session Law 2023-134 Section 12.6.(a)) prohibits the Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Management Commission from adopting state or regional emissions standards for new motor vehicles, including requirements that would require the sale or purchase of zero-emission vehicles. This prevents the Advanced Clean Trucks rulemaking from moving forward.
Growing North Carolina’s Clean Energy Economy
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is collaborating with stakeholders in developing a proposed Advanced Clean Trucks program, ensuring zero-emission commercial trucks are available for purchase in NC. By reducing emissions that impact all North Carolinians — especially low-income communities and communities of color — ACT will encourage economic development and job growth, maximize consumer choice, and advance the state’s climate and environmental justice objectives.
What is Advanced Clean Trucks?
On October 25, 2022, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 271, charging the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to initiate the rulemaking process for an Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) program.
ACT will position North Carolina to benefit from the global market transition to electric vans and trucks by requiring manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission vehicles over time while providing flexibility, through credits, trading and other features, as segments of the market grow at different speeds. The sales targets would also drive investment in other zero-emission technologies including charging and fueling infrastructure.
The ACT program applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 8,500 pounds, covering a variety of vehicles ranging from delivery vans, box trucks, garbage trucks and semi tractors. ACT would not apply to consumer passenger vehicles or off-road vehicles.
First enacted by California, ACT rules have also been adopted in Oregon, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont.
of on-road NOx emissions come from MHD vehicles
Medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) gas and diesel vehicles comprise only 3.2% of North Carolina’s registered vehicle fleet, yet emit 26% of smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, 32% of particulate matter, and a significant portion of other hazardous air pollutants from total on-road vehicle traffic in the state. The transportation sector accounts for 36% of the state’s gross greenhouse gas emissions — more than any other sector.
Resources
Information Webinar Recording
Handouts
Information Webinar Presentation Slides - 01/09/2023
Stakeholder Meeting Presentation Slides - Updated 01/25/2023
Wrap-Up Stakeholder Webinar Presentation Slides - 02/21/2023
Air Quality Committee Presentation Slides - 03/08/2023
ACT Fact Sheet
ACT Information Flyer
Stakeholder Questionnaire
Your Voice Matters
DEQ and the Division of Air Quality (DAQ) hosted stakeholder engagement opportunities in early 2023 to develop meaningful involvement with the public before finalizing its proposed rules and fiscal analysis.
Outreach included informational webinars, in-person community listening sessions and virtual listening sessions. Several meetings offered live Spanish interpretation services.
Watch the Stakeholder Input Webinar recording - 02/01/2023
What We Heard
On Feb. 21, 2023, a final wrap-up webinar provided an overview of the feedback we received so far during our engagement process, and discussed next steps in the outreach and rulemaking process.
Wrap-Up Stakeholder Webinar Presentation Slides - 02/21/2023
More Information
For additional questions
Robin Barrows
DAQ Allied Programs Branch Supervisor
robin.barrows@deq.nc.gov
Shawn Taylor
DAQ Public Information Officer
shawn.taylor@deq.nc.gov
919-707-8446
Español
Si necesita esta información en español por favor llame al 919-609-2189 o mande un correo a Guadalupe.jimenez@deq.nc.gov
Documentos
Diapositivas de presentación de la reunión de partes interesadas
Hoja informative de Camiones Limpios Avanzados (ACT por sus siglas en inglés)
Folleto informativo de ACT
Cuestionario de partes interesadas
Comunicado de prensa