The initial proposal had broad industry support, but that was before companies had time to study the details.
The proposed rules would create comprehensive heavy-duty national program (HD National Program) designed to address what EPA says is “the urgent and closely intertwined challenges of dependence on oil, energy security, and global climate change.”
The complicated standards vary by size and type of truck, and whether gasoline or diesel engines are used. However they appear stringent, calling for a 7-20% reduction in emissions with roughly corresponding increases in fuel economy.
Whether government regulation is needed in the high-mileage market-driven trucking business, which monitors costs closely and has a clear incentive to increase fuel economy, is an assumption that is challenged by critics, but strongly supported by environmentalists.
The initial proposal had broad industry support, but that was before companies had time to study the details, including cost and the phase-in periods. It was also before the Republican return power in the House of Representatives. What will finally emerge as regulation is still months away.
The work trucks covered under the new rules use more than 100 million gallons of oil per day. They are also responsible for about 20% of the climate pollution from America’s transportation sector. Oil imports now account for approximately 60% of U.S. petroleum consumption. Transportation accounts for about 72% of our domestic oil use, and heavy-duty vehicles account for about 17 % of transportation oil use.
The new standards apply to three categories of heavy trucks that heretofore have escaped regulation: combination tractors, heavy-duty pickups and vans, and vocational vehicles:
• For combination tractors, the agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards that begin in the 2014 model year and achieve up to a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption by 2018 model year.
• For heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, the agencies are proposing separate gasoline and diesel truck standards, which phase in starting in the 2014 model year and achieve up to a 10% reduction for gasoline vehicles and 15% reduction for diesel vehicles by 2018 model year (12% and 17% respectively if accounting for air conditioning leakage).
• For vocational vehicles, the agencies are proposing engine and vehicle standards starting in the 2014 model year which would achieve up to a 10% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 2018 model year.
The agencies estimate that the combined proposed standards have the potential to reduce GHG emissions by nearly 250 million metric tons and save approximately 500 million barrels of oil over the life of vehicles sold during 2014 to 2018 model years. It is also claimed that an estimated $35 billion in net benefits will go to truckers. EPA and NHTSA estimate that the HD National Program would cost the affected industry approximately $7.7 billion.
