International. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new and stricter standards to promote clean air and reduce pollution from heavy vehicles and engines starting with model year 2027.
The proposed standards seek to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) that form smog and soot from heavy-duty diesel and gasoline engines and set updated greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for certain categories of commercial vehicles.
This proposed rule would ensure that the heavy vehicles and engines that power American commerce and connect people across the country are as clean as possible, while also charting a path to advancing zero-emission vehicles in the heavy-duty fleet.
"Seventy-two million people are estimated to live near truck loading routes in the United States, and are more likely to be people with lower incomes. These overburdened communities are directly exposed to pollution that causes respiratory and cardiovascular problems, among other serious and costly health effects," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.
"These new standards will dramatically reduce hazardous pollution by leveraging recent advances in vehicle technologies from across the trucking industry as it moves toward an emission-free transportation future."
According to President Biden's Executive Order, "Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks," the proposed action would reduce NOx emissions from trucks by up to 60% by 2045.
This would lead to widespread improvements in air quality in the United States, especially in areas already overburdened by air pollution and diesel emissions. The benefits of the proposed rule would outweigh its costs by billions of dollars.
