The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced it will reconsider the Clean Trucks Plan, a set of regulations issued by the EPA during the Biden Administration aimed at reducing pollution from heavy-duty vehicles.
Those regulations include the Phase 3 Greenhouse Gas emissions standards set to take effect with model year 2027 engines, the 2022 Heavy-Duty Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) rule, and a rule aimed at emissions from light- and medium-duty commercial pickup trucks and vans.
In its announcement, EPA said that in addition to imposing over $700 billion in regulatory and compliance costs, "these rules provided the foundation for the Biden-Harris electric vehicle mandate that takes away Americans’ ability to choose a safe and affordable car for their family and increases the cost of living on all products that trucks deliver."
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin noted that the "American auto industry has been hamstrung by the crushing regulatory regime of the last administration. As we reconsider nearly one trillion dollars of regulatory costs, we will abide by the rule of law to protect consumer choice and the environment."
[Related: EPA Phase 3 truck emissions rule destined to fail? Industry reactions pour in]
Trucking organizations were quick to applaud EPA's announcement Wednesday. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association President Todd Spencer said small-business truckers, which make up 96% of the industry, "could be regulated out of existence if the current standards were to be implemented. Mom and pop trucking businesses would be suffocated by the sheer cost and operational challenges of effectively mandating zero-emission trucks."
Spencer added that "vehicle reliability and affordability are top priorities for OOIDA members, and we have yet to see proof that electric CMVs are a practical option for most trucking businesses considering the price tag and lack of charging infrastructure."
The Truckload Carriers Association said that, "As a founding member of the Clean Freight Coalition, TCA has worked diligently to ensure that federal emissions policies reflect real-world operational and economic considerations. Last Congress, TCA supported a letter by Senator Crapo and Representative Feenstra urging the EPA to withdraw the heavy-duty truck emissions rule. This reconsideration underscores the effectiveness of TCA's advocacy and the collective efforts of the Clean Freight Coalition."
Clean Freight Coalition Chief Strategy Officer Jim Mullen told Overdrive sister publication CCJ his group would continue to work with EPA "on reasonable solutions to cleaner commercial vehicles going forward. We will continue to advocate for a regulatory framework that is technology neutral and achieves the greatest benefit for the environment without unnecessarily burdening the industry, the economy and all consumers of goods in our country."
[Related: Trucking groups slam 'challenging' new EPA rule that slashes truck emissions limits]
Likewise, American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said that "GHG3 in its current form is unachievable given the state of battery-electric technology and the sheer lack of charging infrastructure." Spear called the rule "an albatross" for trucking that threatens "to reduce equipment availability, increase costs for businesses and consumers, and cause major supply chain disruptions."
Engineering has long been underway on diesel engines that will meet these now-under-fire emissions regulations, and many aftertreatment systems have been completely redesigned to reach compliance. Many OEMs have told CCJ anonymously that those engines are likely going to be brought to market with or without federal mandates.
Spear highlighted the importance of the government setting "realistic standards with achievable targets and timelines."
"Crafting a new national rule will prevent states like California from attempting to make an end run around the administration, creating a patchwork of impossible mandates that would jeopardize our economy," Spear added. "ATA looks forward to working with the Trump Administration to develop realistic, technology-neutral federal emissions standards that will benefit our environment, preserve and create jobs, and set our industry and supply chain up for success."
Wednesday's actions related to trucking were part of 31 deregulatory actions EPA is taking "to advance President Trump’s Day One executive orders and Power the Great American Comeback," the administration said.
Zeldin added that the Trump EPA aimed at "driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more."
Last month, EPA announced it was sending Clean Air Act waivers granted under the Biden administration for the California Air Resources Board to Congress for review. Additionally, a bill introduced in the Senate proposed to repeal heavy-duty emissions standards, eliminate new and existing emissions waivers granted to states, set a national standard for emissions and more. --Jason Cannon contributed to this report.
