CTA Criticizes CARB’s Fuel Mandate As Damaging
Dec 19, 2011 3:04 PM
The California Trucking Association (CTA) says that the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) proposed adoption of amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) would lead to higher fuel prices and short-circuit the economy.
“California trucking companies have faced a number of major and rapid disruptions to their businesses at the hands of CARB,” said Michael Shaw, Vice President of External Affairs for the California Trucking Association. “Now CARB wants to impose a new fuel standard that even under the best of circumstances would lead to higher fuel prices for trucks and cars in the short term and possible fuel shortages in the future.
“The California Energy Commission tagged the LCFS with an annual cost to California of more than $4 billion. How can CARB impose a major drag on our economy at a time when California’s unemployment rate still hovers at almost 12 percent?
“CARB’s LCFS mandate also fails to provide any safety net against biodiesel blended fuels that exceed national standards and may damage engines or reduce their efficiency. Until CARB can provide independently verifiable data that this new fuel mandate will not impose a massive financial burden on truckers and Californians, we ask CARB to pull back and take a more reasoned approach.”
He said the CTA supports the research and development of alternative fuel technologies and encourages CARB to continue working down that path. However, it says that must be done in a responsible manner, with a very strong consideration for economic impacts to truckers and the economy as a whole.
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