Hurley’s town board has voted to borrow $1.2 million to purchase snow-plow trucks with a useful life of 15 years before new state regulations make it difficult to find suppliers. The bonding will fund four 2025 plow trucks.
Beginning in 2025, the state will require a percentage of heavy-duty trucks to be zero-emissions vehicles. Some state lawmakers have pushed for a delay, but Hurley isn’t taking chances.
No New York manufacturers will have heavy trucks available after January 1, and the town has been encountering supply-chain issues. An order for two trucks was abruptly canceled in September.
Highway superintendent Mike Shultis was able to locate a new supplier.
“I just want to thank the board for the forward-looking thinking of trying to set us up so that we don’t get caught in a debacle of what kind of trucks are going to be available for us to purchase for snow,” Shultis said. “I was just worried about things coming down between the electric vehicles and the new emissions that are coming out next year that are going to cause all kinds of cost increases for wing plows.”
One of the trucks being replaced has been at a diesel mechanic’s for a month. Shultis was just told it needed a new engine computer. He said he couldn’t see investing thousands of dollars on a computer for a truck whose body was rusting off.
The town board also approved installation of a $10,000 electric-vehicle charging station in the town-hall parking lot on Wamsley Place. Half the funds will be paid by Ulster County and half will come from the $25,000 Nyserda grant awarded the town’s Climate Smart Committee.
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