Dear Elected Official,

Illinois must act now to enact concrete, durable policy mechanisms like the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO) Rules that get cleaner and zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles on the state’s roads. Moving from diesel to zero-emission trucks is essential for cleaning up the dirty air plaguing Illinois. 

Communities next to high-truck traffic locations, such as warehouses, industrial corridors, rail yards, and highways breathe significantly more dangerous tailpipe pollution. Though no one is safe from diesel exhaust, people who live, work, attend school, and play in these high-traffic areas are disproportionately people of color and low-wealth communities due to historical and ongoing racial discrimination.

Additionally, the transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Illinois and the United States. Greenhouse gasses affect our environment, leading to increasingly extreme weather events in Illinois. Diesel tailpipe emissions like NOx and PM pollution directly impact public health; they lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases—including asthma, lung cancer, heart attacks, and strokes—and increase premature death.

The ACT and HDO Rules work together to slash health-harming air pollution from new fossil fuel trucks while increasing the number of clean and zero-emission trucks manufacturers have to sell in Illinois. The ACT Rule requires manufacturers to gradually sell an increasing number of zero-emission MHDVs, and the HDO Rule establishes strong yet feasible NOx and PM emission standards for new fossil fuel trucks that will continue to be sold, slashing NOx emissions limits, compared to today’s levels. The HDO rule also establishes testing and warranty requirements to ensure that emission control systems continue working throughout the vehicle’s life.

Adopting these rules would create more green jobs in Illinois, boosting our electrical sector and our state’s economy. Manufacturing companies and small fleet-operating businesses would see cost savings in fuel and maintenance expenses. 

As your constituent, I am writing today to urge you to move quickly to reduce diesel pollution and accelerate the transition to electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles for new vehicles sold in Illinois, either administratively through the Governor and the IEPA, or through the CA Clean Air Standards legislation introduced this year. No matter the method, the passage is critical.

The passage and implementation of these lifesaving rules would bring major social, economic, environmental, and health benefits to Illinois residents. Thank you for your consideration.