Tuesday, at our new quarterly General Membership Meeting, we were presented with a detailed presentation by Tanya Narath of the RCPA and Suzanne Smith of SCTA. Although it was free to our membership, we disappointingly only had 25 or so people participate. I can only speculate that all of our other members either: 1. already know what is coming down the road in California and the North Bay Area as to climate change driven transportation regulations, or 2. They don’t want to think about it.
If it is #2, I say THINK AGAIN.
California is progressing towards a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% by 2050. Some of the “tools” being utilized:
- Outlawing gas and diesel car sales in California by 2035
- Outlawing heavy duty trucks that use gas and diesel by 2045.
- Outlawing off road vehicles and equipment by 2045
- Saying “no” to any housing/transportation projects that add to “vehicle miles travelled.”
- New house construction must not have gas, and ultimately, existing houses with gas appliances will be forced to convert to all electric.
Those four “tools” pretty much guarantee everyone in the State will be impacted in a big way in implementing the plan to reduce greenhouse gases. EVERYONE.
I won’t represent that I have read every word in the latest CALTRANS plan, but this recently completed plan was just submitted to Pete Buttigieg by Caltrans. You can read it by clicking on the link below–
California Transportation Plan 2050
What is most alarming? Based on Newsome’s executive order from 2020, he says all off road vehicles AND EQUIPMENT will have to be carbon neutral by 2045. For those of you who just spent a lot of money on CARB rules to get your fleet in compliance, doesn’t this sound like you will be asked to do it again in 20 years or so?
Not to mention that the technology is not even here yet to run our excavators and dozers on carbon neutral fuels.
Sigh.
What can we do about it? Stay “at the table” as much as possible, try to deflect/delay/mitigate draconian rules and rely instead on incentivizing suppliers and contractors to lower GHG emissions rather than accept mandatory “you must do this” types of rules that will be very expensive.
Many thanks to the Soiland Company and BoDean for sponsoring the meeting on Climate Change issues on Tuesday, and our Board liked the new quarterly GMM meeting format with great and topical speakers. We decided to do one in June on transportation and infrastructure funding coming to our companies. I am trying to line up Mike McGuire, David Rabbitt, Johannes Hoevertsz, and Suzanne Smith to discuss what funding is here, what is coming, and what our firms can expect for bidding opportunities. We decided the next quarterly meeting (probably in August) should be on CARB requirements for our off-road trucks and equipment. If you think you might wish to be the meeting sponsor for the June transportation and infrastructure funding GMM, please let me know right away-first in gets the prize!
So as sure as you know what runs downhill, California has some surprises for your firm as to dealing with climate change issues. Let’s be sitting at the table rather than be the meal others are eating!
That’s all folks!
John
