EPA’s proposal would eliminate basis of truck emissions standards

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin Tuesday released a draft rule to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding and rolling back the Greenhouse Gas Phase 3 rule. If finalized, the proposal would repeal all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines including heavy duty trucks..

The Endangerment Finding is the legal prerequisite used by the Obama and Biden administrations to regulate emissions from new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines, according to a statement from the EPA. Absent this finding, EPA would lack the authority under the Clean Air Act to prescribe standards for greenhouse gas emissions. 

The statement from the EPA said this proposal would remove all greenhouse gas standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and heavy-duty engines, starting with EPA’s first greenhouse gas set in 2010 for light-duty vehicles and those set in 2011 for medium-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles and engines.

“If finalized, rescinding the Endangerment Finding and resulting regulations would end $1 trillion or more in hidden taxes on American businesses and families,” said Zeldin.

EPA will initiate a public comment period to solicit input. Further information on the public comment process and instructions for participation will be published in the Federal Register and on the EPA website. 

The American Trucking Associations praised Zeldin’s proposal.

“We commend President Trump and EPA Administrator Zeldin for taking decisive action to rescind the disastrous GHG Phase 3 rule,” said ATA President & CEO Chris Spear.  “This electric-truck mandate put the trucking industry on a path to economic ruin and would have crippled our supply chain, disrupted deliveries, and raised prices for American families and businesses. Moreover, it kicked innovation to the curb by discarding available technologies that can further drive down emissions at a fraction of the cost.”

The ATA in a statement said, “Modern trucks produce 99% fewer nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter emissions than those on the road decades ago, and new trucks cut carbon emissions by over 40 percent compared to trucks manufactured in 2010.  As a result, 60 of today’s trucks emit what just one truck did in 1988.”