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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Mike Hanna |
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Hanna: New regulation adversely affects agriculture industry
HARRISBURG, March 5 – State Rep. Mike Hanna, D-Clinton/Centre, today released a statement about the state Department of Transportation's proposed Intrastate Motor Carrier Safety Requirements regulation. The regulation, which is mandated under federal law, was recently reviewed and approved by the board of the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC).
Hanna, chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, said the IRRC has approved this regulation in order to retain federal funding under the federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. While this regulation would help to improve public safety on roadways, he said there has been some confusion regarding the impact on farm tractors and other farm equipment by the proposed regulation changes.
Hanna said he is concerned that the proposed regulation fails to recognize the unique transportation needs of Pennsylvania agriculture, specifically the operation of farming tractors and other vehicles on state roadways. "As chairman of the agriculture committee, I remain concerned that portions of this new regulation could adversely affect the agriculture community by placing an increased financial burden on an already struggling industry," he said.
In response to Hanna's concerns, PennDOT issued a clarification that tractors used in agriculture are outside the agency’s jurisdiction and not subject to the Motor Carrier Regulations because they are designed for off-road operation and cannot operate at highway speeds. Pennsylvania law currently permits the operation of farm tractors and other farm implements on roadways, and this regulation will not change this.
"PennDOT's earlier suggestion that the proposed changes would not have an adverse impact on any person or entity is inaccurate," Hanna said. "Written comments provided to IRRC by the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and others document the need for a broader exemption relating to farm trucks, implements of husbandry and record-keeping. I would encourage the federal government to reconsider those provisions."
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