On December 30, 2021, the Baker Administration filed a proposed regulation that will require an increase in the number of electric medium and large size trucks in Massachusetts by reducing the number of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE). While targeting the vehicle manufacturers, this regulation is designed is to speed up the state’s decision to adopt California’s emission standards (gradually phasing out internal carbon engine vehicle sales by 2035) and is only focused on medium and large sized trucks.

Aside from impacting the stock of dealerships that sell medium sized trucks, it will affect thousands of Massachusetts business owners who either use trucks directly or rely on them to bring products to their shops. In addition to the higher cost of electric trucks, many business owners do not find these vehicles effective enough to use in their operations yet. 

NFIB provided testimony raising small business concerns at the February 1^st Department of Environmental Protection hearing noting how it will impact the state’s small businesses and their customers. If it becomes more expensive to deliver a product, prices will rise for those items on shelves. If it becomes more expensive to buy snowplows or landscaping vehicles, the price of those services increases for consumers. If construction equipment becomes more costly, the price tag of building new homes in Massachusetts will only continue to skyrocket. In short, fewer affordable vehicles and more expensive electric vehicles will result in higher prices for businesses and residents of the Commonwealth. And for dealerships that sell trucks, they will see fewer medium and heavy-duty trucks being sold on their lots, and may even witness many of their former customers traveling across state lines to New Hampshire where this regulation is not being imposed.   

If you are interested in providing testimony to the Department of Environmental Protection, the comment period runs until February 11^th. Please click here to take action.