Rep. Mike Ezell, U.S. Representative for Mississippi's 4th District | Ballotpedia
Rep. Mike Ezell, U.S. Representative for Mississippi's 4th District | Ballotpedia
Rep. Mike Ezell (MS-04) has joined Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-04) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rescind its mandate on electric vehicles for trucks, tractors, buses, and semis. The final rule, titled “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3,” was published on April 22, 2024.
"The EPA's latest mandate on EVs will put further strains on our supply chain, burden the U.S. economy, and drive up costs nationwide," Ezell stated. "The heavy hand of the Biden Administration continues to overstep into the lives of Americans at every turn. Americans should have the choice to drive and operate whichever vehicle benefits them and their business."
Feenstra echoed these concerns: "The Biden administration’s mandate that impacts all trucks, tractors, buses, and semis would strain our supply chains, hurt our farmers, harm our economy, and increase costs for every single American." He added that this de facto EV mandate would exacerbate inflation and economic conditions while attacking liquid fuels vital to energy security.
Crapo also criticized the policy: "Heavy-handed, top-down environmental policies do more harm than good. Regulations like these raise costs for Americans, harm farmers and small businesses and push our country toward greater dependence on China."
The lawmakers emphasized that the rule would disrupt the heavy-duty truck industry by enforcing a rapid adoption of zero-emission vehicles despite their current market share being less than 1%. They cited a study estimating nearly $1 trillion in infrastructure investment required to fully electrify the U.S. commercial fleet. Additionally, they noted that electric semi-trucks cost significantly more than diesel Class 8 trucks.
"Our farmers and agricultural industry will be especially hurt by this new mandate," they stated. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest census, millions of trucks and tractors used in farming would face higher equipment costs due to this rule.
The full letter can be found HERE.
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