As the chair of the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association’s legislative committee, which represents more than 350 locally owned and operated building material dealer locations in New York, I’m deeply concerned about the fast-approaching implementation of the Advanced Clean Truck rule, which is set to take effect in just two months.
Downstate New York, where traffic is already a daily nightmare for businesses, is particularly ill-prepared for the impact of this mandate. Our elected officials need to recognize that this rule is simply not ready to go into effect on January 1st.
One of the most glaring issues is that other states, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maryland, and Connecticut, have all either delayed this rule or are moving to do so. These states understand that the infrastructure and technology needed to make this transition work just aren’t there yet. New York, on the other hand, seems ready to charge ahead despite these glaring red flags.
In downstate New York, where the roads are clogged with traffic and delivery schedules are already stretched thin, we can’t afford to add more trucks to the mix simply because electric vehicles can’t handle the same loads as their diesel counterparts. To make matters worse, there’s no charging infrastructure in place for commercial electric trucks. Without publicly available chargers, businesses won’t be able to keep their fleets running smoothly, leading to delays and disruptions that will impact the entire supply chain, from building materials to essential goods.
New York’s construction and building materials industries rely on timely deliveries to keep projects moving. If the ACT rule goes into effect as planned, those deliveries will be jeopardized, and costs will rise—hitting builders, contractors, and consumers alike. We’re already seeing states hit pause on this mandate for good reason. New York needs to follow suit and ensure we have the infrastructure and technology in place before moving forward.
I urge our elected officials to step back and reconsider this timeline. The goals of the ACT rule may be laudable, but rushing into implementation will only harm the very businesses and workers it’s meant to protect. Let’s ensure we’re ready before we take this step.
Dana Schnipper
legislative chair
Northeastern Retail Lumber Association of New York
