The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation on Friday proposed strict emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks as part of President Obama’s plan to combat climate change.
The rules, which would apply to model years 2021-2027, would require a 24-percent reduction in carbon dioxide and fuel use compared with big rigs to be sold in 2018. The proposed rules also would add first-ever emission standards for trailers that large tractor-trailer trucks haul.
The EPA says the rules would build on the fuel-efficiency improvements and emission reductions made by the current phase of heavy-duty truck rules for model years 2014-2018. The agency says trucking makes up 20 percent of all transportation emissions and fuel consumption, but comprises only 5 percent of the vehicles on the road.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said the rules are “delivering big time on President Obama’s call to cut carbon pollution.”
“With emission reductions weighing in at 1 billion tons, this proposal will save consumers, businesses and truck owners money, and at the same time spur technology innovation and job-growth, while protecting Americans’ health and our environment over the long haul,” she said.
The standards are expected to reduce carbon emissions by nearly 1 billion metric tons, reduce fuel costs by $170 billion, and cut oil consumption by nearly 2 billion barrels “over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the program,” the EPA said.
The emission reductions from the rules are the equivalent of cutting the greenhouse gas emissions “associated with energy use by all U.S. residences in one year,” th EPA said. “The total oil savings under the program would be greater than a year’s worth of U.S. imports from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.”
EPA Assistant Administrator Janet McCabe says the proposed rules would harmonize with separate regulations in California to create one harmonized program for trucks across the nation. She said that would prevent the industry from having to sell two different sets of vehicles, trailers and other technologies to meet both the state and federal standards.
The EPA and the Transportation Department held 300 meetings in developing the rules. The trucking industry, representing engine manufacturers, truck fleet operators, truck and trailer makers, came out in support of the proposed regulations.
Large engine manufacturer Cummins said it supports the proposal and looks forward to working with the agencies in finalizing the rules. “Cummins is committed to continuing to use our technological leadership to develop products that our customers rely on, while also reducing our environmental footprint,” said CEO Tom Linebarger.
