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EPA and NHTSA jointly release "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles - Phase 2"

Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its final emissions rule for the Obama Administration, titled "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles - Phase 2."

Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its final emissions rule for the Obama Administration, titled "Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles - Phase 2."
 
The final rule appears to have more stringent benchmarks than the original proposed rule, which called for a 36 percent improvement over 2010 levels by 2027.  The Administration estimates the new benchmarks will cut emissions by over 1 billion metric tons and decrease oil use by 1.8 billion barrels over the course of the lifetime of vehicles purchased under this new rule.  However, the final rule keeps intact 2027 as the final target date rather than speeding up that process which was under consideration.  
 
TRALA and its allies such as the American Trucking Associations had advocated to EPA and NHTSA to keep three target dates - 2021, 2024 and 2027 rather than have only until 2024 to reach these emissions goals.  After speaking to its manufacturer partners, TRALA felt strongly that 2024 was simply not a realistic date for implementation.
 
TRALA President and CEO Jake Jacoby commented, "While TRALA remains concerned about even stricter standards being placed on truck manufacturers, we are pleased that the EPA and NHTSA granted our request to have the final implementation year of  Phase 2 remain in 2027.  TRALA also is pleased that there appears to be harmonization of standards and some additional flexibility for the OEMs to reach these targets."
 
You can view the final rule by clicking here.
 
You can view the fact sheet by clicking here.
 
As more information becomes available and TRALA is able to read through the entire rule, it will forward on more details.  In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding the final rule, please contact Peter Einisman at PeterEinisman@trala.org or at 703-299-9120.

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