Senators praise DEQ—s delay of Advanced Clean Truck enforcement, cite infrastructure concerns

Sen. Shelly Bonham and other senators praised the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality—s decision to exercise enforcement discretion for the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rules for medium- and heavy-duty trucks for 2025 and 2026.

Bonham said DEQ "is set to delay the enforcement of the advanced clean truck rules for '25 and '26 for medium and heavy duty truck models" and described the agency—s move as a "common sense step of giving certainty to countless Oregon businesses and workers." He and others raised concerns about insufficient charging infrastructure, limited range and payload of current electric trucks, and high costs.

Sen. Starr added, "The reality is neither the grid nor the supply is there to electrify transportation resources in this state," and said delays were appropriate. Bonham noted presentations from manufacturers and industry groups during the session saying a two-year delay was necessary and suggested an even longer postponement until technology, grid capacity and supply chains mature.

The nut graf: DEQ's enforcement discretion drew support from senators who said the rule's practical requirements exceed current infrastructure and market readiness; the remarks urged further work on charging and grid upgrades before stricter mandates take effect.

No formal legislative action on the ACT rules occurred on the Senate floor that day; senators used floor time to register support for DEQ's discretion and to call for state attention to infrastructure needs.

Ending: Senators urged follow-up work on charging infrastructure, grid readiness and technological limits before future enforcement deadlines.