EPA adopts final rule for new heavy-duty emission standards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has adopted a final rule on December 20 that establishes revised emission standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOX) from medium- and heavy-duty on-highway engines starting in model year 2027.

Entitled “Control of Air Pollution from New Motor Vehicles: Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Standards,” the final program includes new, more stringent emissions standards that cover a wider range of heavy-duty engine operating conditions compared to today’s standards, and it requires these more stringent emissions standards to be met for a longer period of time when these engines operate on the road. 

This final rule is consistent with President Joseph Biden’s Executive Order, “Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks” and is the first step in the Clean Trucks Plan. 

The final rule also includes amendments regarding the confidentiality of certain information submitted to the EPA for engines, vehicles, and equipment subject to emission standards and other requirements under the Clean Air Act. 

In addition, the final rule includes other limited amendments to the regulations that implement our air pollutant emission standards for other sectors (e.g., light-duty vehicles, marine diesel engines, locomotives, various types of nonroad engines, vehicles, and equipment).

In response to the new rule, The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new rule 

Reacting to the final rule, the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA), which represents the world’s leading manufacturers of medium-and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, issued the following statement.

“While we are still in the process of reviewing the details of the newly published NOX emissions rule, it is clear the rule is very stringent and will be challenging to implement. Our members are fully committed to working with the EPA and other stakeholders for its successful implementation. Ultimately, the success or failure of this rule hinges on the willingness and ability of trucking fleets to invest in purchasing the new technology to replace their older, higher-emitting vehicles,” said EMA President Jed R. Mandel.

“The commercial trucking industry is on the path to transformation, and manufacturers are leading the way through investment, innovation, and engineering. EMA and its members are committed to achieving a zero-emission future, and we look forward to serving as constructive partners in the implementation of EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan.”

To view the final rule, click here. This final rule is effective 60 days after the date of its publication in the Federal Register.