In The News

'Common sense reform' of truck weights gains support

ROCKVILLE, Md. â€” As part of its 2009 legislative agenda, the San Joaquin Valley California Air Pollution Control District Governing Board recently adopted the mission of the Agricultural Transportation Efficiency Coalition (AgTEC) to “increase truck weights on federal highways to 97,000 pounds for commercial vehicles transporting raw agriculture commodities and forest products.” It is the first district in the nation to endorse the AgTEC mission formally.

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is the regional agency responsible for air quality management in the eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and the Air Valley Basin areas of Kern County. The District is the largest agricultural production region in California. It works with local, state, and federal government agencies, the business community, and residents of the Valley to reduce emissions that harm air quality.

AgTEC is a national group comprising companies, associations, and interested organizations seeking federal legislative reform of the truck weight statutes in the 111th Congress.

Joel “Bud” Wallace, a Merced County resident and AgTEC Vice Chairman, stated, “I am delighted to see the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Governing Board take the lead in the nation to support common sense reform of current truck weight legislation in Congress. The AgTEC proposal will help the District reach its containment goals and improve transportation safety in towns and cities of the San Joaquin Valley.”

Wallace explained, “The AgTEC proposal is especially important to the San Joaquin Valley, where agriculture is so vital to our economy. The current top 10 sources of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are heavy-duty diesel trucks, off-road equipment, farm equipment, food and agriculture processing, farming operations, and food and agriculture.”

The California League of Food Processors has also strongly endorsed the AgTEC truck weight reform proposal.