12/20/2022

U.S. Finalizes New Emissions Rules to Cut Smog from Heavy-duty Trucks

This is the first in a series of actions planned to cut pollution

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will announce it is finalizing new emissions standards to drastically cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks, the first of a series of actions planned to cut vehicle pollution.

The new standards, the first update to clean air standards for heavy-duty trucks in more than two decades, are more than 80 percent stringent than current standards. The EPA estimates by 2045, the rule will result up to 2,900 annual fewer premature deaths, 1.1 million fewer lost school days for children and $29 billion in annual net benefits.

"It's really important -- especially for protecting the health of the 72 million people living near truck freight routes in America," EPA Administrator Michael Regan told Reuters in an interview, adding the rule will result in an up to 48 percent reduction in smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 2045. "This is a very very aggressive approach to reduce NOx emissions."

Please select this link to read the complete article from Reuters.