State leaders, local advocates share plans for new clean heavy-duty truck standards

Leaders from Minneapolis and Hennepin County are sharing a plan meant to garner public support for new heavy-duty truck standards that they hope will help the state reach zero emissions from the transportation sector.

Video of the news conference can be viewed below:

Hennepin County Commissioner Marion Greene and Margaret Anderson Kelliher, the Director of the Minneapolis Department of Public Works, spoke during the Thursday news conference. They were joined by representatives from the Sierra Club, the University of Minnesota, and a consultant on climate change and health.

According to a news release from city and county officials, the transportation sector accounts for about a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota.

Governor Walz and other DFL lawmakers have taken numerous steps and passed legislation that encourages a transition to a “zero-emission future.”

Those speaking at the news conference urged the Biden administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to pass “the strongest possible version of the recently announced draft standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.”

Governor Walz, state leaders celebrate climate action legislation

Public comments on these new draft standards will close tomorrow, Friday, June 16. Comments can be submitted by clicking here and selecting the “Browse Documents” tab and then checking the “Proposed Rule” box on the left side of the screen. From there, users can select the “Comment” button under the proposed rule “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3”.

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