Attorney General Mike Hilgers, representing a coalition of 24 states, has filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to challenge the Biden-Harris Administration's electric-vehicle mandate for truck manufacturers. The case, Nebraska v. EPA, contests the new rule that imposes stringent emissions standards on heavy-duty vehicles, effectively pushing manufacturers toward producing more electric trucks.
Hilgers stated, "The EPA’s attempt to transform the trucking industry and supply chain infrastructure goes well beyond the agency’s authority. Once again, the Biden-Harris Administration’s radical climate agenda will harm Americans." He further expressed concerns that a national electric-truck mandate could lead to increased grocery prices, strain on the electrical grid, and disruptions in industries crucial to Nebraska's economy.
In April, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced this rule with an aim to significantly increase the production of electric trucks from just 0.10 percent of all heavy-duty trucks sold today to 45 percent within a decade. The attorneys general argue that such a substantial shift should be decided by Congress and states rather than federal bureaucrats.
The brief emphasizes that allowing this mandate would bypass ongoing policy debates meant for legislative bodies. It also highlights potential negative impacts on transportation logistics and essential goods distribution due to changes in industry dynamics.
The attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia West Virginia and Wyoming have joined Hilgers in this legal effort against what they perceive as an overreach by the EPA.