Greetings,
I am a grower operator of a walnut processing plant located in
Escalon in San Joaquin County. Our company ships several hundred
containers of walnuts to our customers in the U.S. and overseas
each year. CARB's proposed requirement that all trucks must operate
on zero emissions, meaning EV, is simply unrealistic and will
cripple our industry if upheld as currently contemplated.
For example, we're located about 80 miles east of the Oakland
port. There are no EV trucks that have the power to haul a 45,000
lb load of walnuts to the port and back again because they lack the
necessary range.
I have no problem with your requirement that trucks manufactured
in 2010 be taken off the road and that each subsequent year more
recently-manufactured trucks are taken off until we eventually have
an all EV fleet in California. That provision gives both
manufacturers and the lithium battery technology time to improve
and lengthen range.
But to require the EV provisions by Jan 1, 2024 and to have no
port access for non-EV trucks will cripple our industry.
Thanks,
Don Barton
President
GoldRiver Orchards, Inc.
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