[5]By Oregon Farm Bureau [6],
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Health Care and Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources will hold hearings on HB 3310 and SB 824, respectively. These bills would impose strict diesel emissions requirements on Oregon’s family farmers and freight operators, reducing our competitiveness.
HB 3310 would adopt California’s complex diesel emissions regulations in Oregon, including provisions that give DEQ authority to:
– Create diesel emissions rules for on- and off-road vehicles
– Limit idling of heavy trucks
– Phase in program for all diesel trucks for repower and/or retrofits for all heavy-duty and light-duty trucks and school buses.
HB 3310 does NOT include an agricultural exemption and would substantially burden the state’s agricultural producers. This legislation is unnecessary and harmful to Oregon farmers and small businesses.
SB 824 would give DEQ broad authority to implement diesel emissions standards at least as stringent as those in California. Although farm equipment is exempt, SB 824 would allow DEQ to establish emissions standards and registration for on- and off-road vehicles, including freight used to transport crops and other goods not covered by the farm plate. This bill also would remove the preemption on local regulation of idling and allow for a patchwork of regulations that would be impossible to follow.
HB 3310 and SB 824 mandate costly retrofits to farm equipment and freight and will hurt family farmers and small businesses.