The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has declared an emissions agreement between California and four major truck manufacturers as “unenforceable,” paving the way for noncompliance with the Golden State’s pollution rules, which are stricter than federal standards. The FTC closed an investigation into whether several truck and engine manufacturers violated antitrust laws by engaging in a voluntary “Clean Truck Partnership” with the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The partnership required truck manufacturers to abide by California’s emissions standards in exchange for certain concessions, including the Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which requires 7.5% of heavy-duty vehicles to be emissions-free by 2035. The FTC closed the antitrust investigation after receiving commitments from four truck manufacturers, Daimler Truck, International Motors, PACCAR, and Volvo Group, that they would abandon the Clean Truck Partnership. The FTC’s announcement came a day after the same four truck makers filed a lawsuit against California regulators, arguing that the Golden State lacks the authority to enforce its heavy-duty vehicle emissions rules.
The FTC has deemed the agreement with truck manufacturers invalid. Enilsa Brown 24
