Marc Lombardo, the state representative for Massachusetts’ 22nd Middlesex District, expressed concerns over green policies and electric vehicle (EV) mandates. He said that these initiatives lack proper infrastructure, increase energy and consumer costs, and could result in job losses and outmigration.
“These politically motivated policies are intended to make people feel good but result in no real environmental impact and raise prices on residents,” said Marc T. Lombardo. “Those costs will be passed on to the consumer and the price of all goods moved on trucks will soar. The charging infrastructure simply doesn’t exist to support this mandate and won’t be ready by 2035. Government is forcing electric use in a heavy-handed way as electricity costs soar.”
According to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the state has adopted California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule. This regulation requires manufacturers to sell an increasing percentage of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles starting with model year 2025. The rule applies to on-road vehicles weighing 8,500 pounds or more (classes 2b–8), with specific sales targets set for different vehicle categories. However, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection announced it will exercise enforcement discretion for manufacturers unable to meet the 2025 and 2026 targets, provided they continue offering internal combustion engine trucks to distributors who request them.
The Trucking Association of Massachusetts reported that the ACT rule presents challenges such as higher upfront costs for electric trucks and limited vehicle availability. These issues could raise logistics costs and subsequently increase the price of consumer goods transported by road. Small trucking businesses are particularly concerned about the financial strain of transitioning to electric fleets.
According to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in order to meet its 2030 and 2050 climate goals, there is a recognized need to significantly expand EV charging infrastructure, especially for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. As of December 31, 2023, there were 6,767 installed public EV charging ports in the state. The state’s Clean Energy and Climate Plan estimates a requirement for 15,000 public charging station ports by 2025 and 75,000 by 2030. State officials acknowledge that current infrastructure development is insufficient without additional federal or private investment.
Lombardo is a Republican member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives representing the 22nd Middlesex District since 2011. He previously served on the Billerica Board of Selectmen from 2005 to 2010 and as a Billerica Town Meeting Representative from 2004 to 2010. Born in Waltham in 1982, Lombardo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Merrimack College and currently resides in Billerica with his wife and two children.
