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ATA Tells Congress Cap-and-Trade Will Harm Trucking Industry

Posted on: Tuesday, 9 June 2009, 14:55 CDT

ARLINGTON, Va., June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Trucking Associations (ATA) today told a Congressional Committee that a cap-and-trade program would impose significant costs on the trucking industry and American consumers.

In his statement on behalf of ATA, Tommy Hodges, ATA First Vice Chairman said that the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) threatens to significantly increase fuel costs and jeopardizes the economic viability of trucking companies.

"Fleets are extremely sensitive to rapidly shifting operating costs given thin operating margins," said Hodges. "These margins continue to be chipped away, given the numerous and unprecedented costs being imposed upon the industry to reduce emissions from trucks."

Hodges explained that provisions in H.R. 2454's cap-and-trade program grant oil refiners 2 percent of the carbon allowances between 2014 and 2016 to help mitigate refinery Greenhouse Gas emissions.

"This amount is inadequate and will result in significant price increases for refined products," said Hodges. "The 2 percent allotment to refineries over a 2-year period covers the refineries' facility emissions, but totally ignores carbon emissions from the combustion of petroleum products, leaving downstream users, such as trucking companies, exposed to dramatic and sudden fuel price spikes."

The trucking industry believes that mobile sources, such as commercial trucks, should be addressed differently than traditional stationary sources under any proposed carbon reduction regulatory program.

In addition to serving as ATA First Vice Chairman, Hodges also serves as Chairman of ATA's Sustainability Task Force, which developed a progressive sustainability agenda that will reduce fuel consumption by 86 billion gallons and CO2 emissions by 900 million tons for all vehicles over the next 10 years by: setting governors on new trucks to limit speeds to no more than 65 mph; reducing the national speed limit to 65 mph for all vehicles; reducing engine idling; reducing congestion by improving highways; using more productive truck combinations; supporting national fuel economy standards for trucks; and increasing fuel efficiency by encouraging participation in the U.S. EPA SmartWay(SM) Transport Partnership Program.

These reasonable measures will bring real results for reducing the trucking industry's carbon footprint, while at the same time further reducing other regulated emissions, enhancing safety, helping to achieve energy independence, and keeping the nations economic engine churning.

For ATA's entire sustainability report with detailed explanations, visit www.trucksdeliver.org.

The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of other trucking groups, industry-related conferences, and its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, ATA represents more than 37,000 members covering every type of motor carrier in the United States.

SOURCE American Trucking Associations

Source: PR Newswire

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