CTA v. South Coast Air Quality Management District, et al.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Date: November 21, 2022

Issue on Appeal: Whether local air quality rules requiring warehouses to reduce emissions by effectively mandating the use of zero- or near-zero-emission trucks are preempted by federal law, including the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Airline Deregulation Act (ADA).

RLC’s Position: The RLC argues that the challenged rules are preempted because they function as de facto emissions standards for motor vehicles, an area Congress reserved for federal regulation. By requiring warehouses to adopt or incentivize specific vehicle technologies, the rules undermine a uniform national framework and impose significant compliance costs on the logistics and retail supply chain. The RLC further contends that allowing such local regulations would create a patchwork of requirements across jurisdictions, disrupting interstate commerce and exacerbating existing supply chain challenges.

Other Amici: Chamber of Commerce of the United States; American Trucking Associations; California Chamber of Commerce; and numerous local chambers of commerce.

Counsel: Misha Tseytlin and Elizabeth Holt Andrews, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP.