ATA’s Chris Spear Joins EPA Administrator to Announce Revised NOx Rule

Washington - Today, American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear joined Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for an event on the National Mall to celebrate the rollback of onerous, unachievable heavy-duty NOx standards implemented by the previous administration. EPA estimates that its proposed changes could reduce the cost of new trucks by as much as $6,000 and save American truckers $12 billion in overall costs.

EPA's existing NOx rule threatened to cause major operational disruptions and significantly increase equipment costs for the trucking industry. ATA has strongly advocated for a reevaluation of the rule and sent a letter to EPA earlier this year requesting modifications. The agency's proposed revisions incorporate many of ATA's recommendations.

Following the announcement, Spear issued this statement:

"Since 1970, trucking has reduced heavy-duty emissions by 99%. That is real progress, and no one should pretend otherwise. But EPA's 2022 rule demanded another 80% reduction in NOx emissions in just five years, forcing our industry to confront costly, complex technologies that have not been fully proven in real-world conditions.

"ATA has been clear from day one: new environmental standards must be achievable, affordable, and reliable. If a truck cannot perform safely and efficiently on America's highways, then the freight does not move, shelves do not get stocked, and our economy pays the price.

"Administrator Zeldin and the Trump Administration heard us loud and clear. We appreciate EPA taking our concerns seriously and acting to provide commonsense flexibility for the manufacturers, fleets, and 8.4 million hardworking men and women who keep this country moving.

"ATA is now reviewing the full details of the proposal released today and looks forward to submitting official comments."

On stage at the America 250 Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Spear, Zeldin, and OEM CEOs discussed the shortcomings of EPA's existing NOx standards, which were finalized in December 2022. Beginning with model year 2027, EPA would have required a premature rollout of commercial motor vehicles with unproven engine technologies. In addition, the rushed implementation timeline encouraged a pre-buy that would have further driven up costs for equipment.

Zeldin and the trucking leaders also extolled the following benefits of the proposed rule:

• Warranty: Maintains the current 5-year / 100,000-mile warranty to reduce the cost of new trucks.

• Useful Life: Delays the scheduled increase to regulatory useful-life by three years so that the 11-year / 650,000-mile warranty for heavy-duty trucks will take effect in 2030.

• Production Volume Allowance: Allows up to five percent of a manufacturer's U.S.-directed production to meet pre-2027 requirements in 2027-2029 without requiring the use of NOx credits as is currently required.

• Nonconformance Penalties: Allows manufacturers to sell medium-heavy and heavy-heavy duty vehicles that do not meet the .035 mg/hp-hr NOx standard provided they pay a fee based on the level of non-compliance.

• Credit Flexibilities: Seeks comments on specific provisions that would increase the availability and flexibility of NOx credits for manufacturers. These changes include potentially increasing the NOx FEL cap, allowing the use of NOx credits across engine service classes and allowing the use of NOx emission credits generated prior to model year 2022.

• Diesel Exhaust Fluid / SCR Derate: Eliminates the requirement for speed and power inducements and replaces them with visible and/or audible dashboard notifications for new trucks. EPA is also considering guidance to allow manufacturers to further adjust inducement schedules by software updates for the existing fleet of in-use highway and nonroad engines and equipment.

ATA will continue working with EPA throughout the rulemaking process and intends to submit formal comments supporting the proposal prior to the August 29 deadline. A public hearing is scheduled for July 29.