Regulatory Alert: Urgent Action Requested on CARB Fleet Regulation Changes by ACWA Staff Jun 22, 2026 ACWA members are encouraged to provide testimony during the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) public hearing on June 25 regarding the latest amendments to the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation. The proposed changes expand the regulation to include all lease and contract agreements, regardless of length, as part of a public fleet’s compliance with the ACF regulation. ACWA is concerned this approach would create significant implementation challenges for public agencies and has been actively engaged with CARB throughout the development of the regulation to advocate for member needs and operational flexibility. Take Action Now Member agency engagement with CARB has proven critical in obtaining flexibility for public fleets to date. ACWA urges members to take the following steps: Attend the public hearing on June 25. ACWA encourages members to provide oral comments in person; however, there is a virtual option available. Public comments should be given during the Open Session portion of the agenda and should be limited to no more than two minutes. For those attending in person and virtually, instructions for participating are provided in the notice. What to Include in Your Oral Comments: ACWA encourages member agencies to state the following in your talking points. Express concern with the latest 15 Day Changes to ACF that includes all lease and contract agreements, regardless of duration, in a public fleet’s compliance with ACF. This requirement will be impractical for public fleets to comply with and challenging for CARB staff to administer. Encourage CARB to repeal the latest June 1, 2026, 15-day changes and return to the previous changes from the initial 15-day changes, dated April 2, 2026, as a starting point for the next amendment process undertaken by CARB. Encourage CARB to start a new amendment process to continue working on the many remaining challenges with ACF that have been discussed this past year. Express a desire to continue to work with CARB on ACF to ensure public fleets’ needs are considered. ACWA staff will continue to advocate for its members with regard to ACF beyond the current amendment process to ensure members’ needs are heard and considered by CARB. Background The ACF regulation requires state and local government fleets in California to transition medium‑ and heavy‑duty vehicles to zero‑emission vehicles (ZEVs) over time, with phased purchase mandates beginning in 2024 and a full transition targeted by 2045. Federal actions in 2025 significantly limited the rule’s applicability to public fleets only. Questions For questions regarding the CARB hearing, or ACF in general, please contact ACWA Senior State Relations Advocate Nick Blair at (916) 669-2377.
