Future Commercial Trucks Will Need to Further Reduce Emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to “initiate a rulemaking to propose revisions to the federal on-highway heavy-duty NOx emissions control program,” according to a recent EPA memorandum.

The memo came in response to petitions from state and local government agencies, including the California Air Resources Board (CARB), seeking tighter standards to reduce NOx emissions from commercial trucks.

Petitioners say technology has progressed during the 16 years since the EPA last revised its NOx standards, and it is possible now to reduce NOx emissions further.

Petitioners note the efforts in California to reduce such emissions, but they say a national standard would be more effective than a California-only standard, in part because the majority of heavy-duty trucks that operate in California are purchased out-of-state and may be operated as part of a nationwide fleet.

“EPA acknowledges a need for additional NOx reductions from this category of vehicles and engines, particularly in areas of the country with elevated levels of air pollution,” the memo states.

The EPA says it intends to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for tighter standards aimed at Model Year 2024.

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