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The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said today it was delaying enforcement of its Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which went into effect Jan. 1.
“Effective immediately, Oregon DEQ will refrain from pursuing enforcement or assessing
civil penalties against any manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (Classes 2b–
8) who does not meet the specified [zero-emission vehicle] sales percentages,” DEQ director Leah Feldon wrote in a memo today. The pause is effective for 2025 and 2026.
DEQ’s Advanced Clean Trucks policy, under development since 2021, was intended to shift Oregon’s fleet from trucks with internal combustion engines to electric-powered vehicles that would improve air quality and help the state meet its carbon reduction goals.
The policy DEQ adopted requires truck manufacturers to build electric trucks in a ratio to conventional diesel-powered vehicles that would increase every year.
But as the Oregon Journalism Project has reported, trucking companies have found that, for large trucks that carry the majority of road freight, electric trucks are too expensive and lack the range to be competitive.
Feldon’s memo today acknowledged the industry has struggled with the new rule.
“While manufacturers were involved in developing the ACT framework, they now indicate that ACT requirements are too difficult to meet,” Feldon wrote.” Some manufacturers are limiting new internal combustion engine truck sales as a means to ensure compliance with ACT sales requirements, thereby reducing overall new truck availability to a wide range of users.”
Gov. Tina Kotek, who has supported the rule, placed blame on the Trump administration in a statement today.
“Our state has received historic awards from the federal government to make clean energy solutions more affordable, our air cleaner, and our economy greener. Oregon is not seeing these obligated funds come through,” Kotek said. “As our federal counterparts continue to fail to deliver on commitments made, our state will be nimble, acting responsibly to both protect our environment and a stable economy.”
The governor also acknowledged industry concerns that the rule is not economical at the current state of electric trucks’ development.
“One of my key directives to state agencies is that we do our work with a focus on customer service, transparency, and accountability across state government,” Kotek added. “And state programs and regulations must be implementable.”
The pause in enforcement comes as a relief to the Oregon Trucking Association, whose members face supply chain volatility because of uncertainty around tariffs. The ACT rule disrupted the market for conventional trucks as well as carried the threat that companies would have to buy more electric vehicles they say can’t perform long hauls efficiently.
“I am pleased to see that Oregon recognizes the significance of the ACT issue,” says Jana Jarvis, CEO of the Oregon Trucking Association. “This pause is necessary and it will give time for the market for electric trucks to mature.”
This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project, a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.