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HARTFORD, Conn. — Republican state lawmakers, along with trucking and food-distribution executives, on April 28 declared war on Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed regional climate initiative and user tax for heavy trucks on state highways.

The Department of Energy intends to provide up to $100 million in funding to push for the electrification of freight trucks of all sizes as part of its new SuperTruck 3 program.

ALBANY, N.Y. — The state Senate on April 26 passed a bill that would essentially mandate that all new passenger cars sold in the state run on electric power by 2035 and trucks and other heavy duty vehicles run on electricity by 2045.

CLEVELAND — The failure of Lordstown Motors, an Ohio-based electric truck startup, to pay $570,000 in real estate taxes due in early March is yet another troubling sign for a company that has been barraged by bad news this year.

The Biden administration on April 26 took a key step toward restoring California’s power to limit greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and overturn a Trump-era policy that pitted the federal government against a state seeking to eventually ban conventional gas-powered cars.

While diesel prices remained flat according to data released this week, experts are warning of rising prices headed into summer as a shortage of tank truck drivers threatens to tighten supplies.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed an executive order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within state facilities, including those for transportation.

The push for zero-emission trucks in California has left drayage operators questioning that approach in light of their previous investments in equipment using natural gas fuel, an industry association executive said.

Progressively tougher clean air mandates and the increasing corporate focus on environmental sustainability could signal a larger role for natural gas — especially renewable natural gas — as a trucking fuel, experts said.