Heavy-Duty 2027 and Beyond:
Clean Trucks Proposed Rulemaking
The Biden Administration's Clean Trucks Plan
Heavy-duty trucks and buses drive American commerce and connect people across the
country. Creating cleaner trucks is an economic opportunity to support jobs and make
more efficient vehicles while reducing harmful pollution. Heavy-duty trucks and buses
C continue to contribute significantly to air pollution at the local, regional, and national
level, often disproportionally affecting communities of color and low-income popula-
CU t ons. As identified in President Biden's Executive Order 14037, Strengthening American
Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks, EPA intends to issue a series of regulations over the
next three years to reduce pollution from trucks and buses and to advance the transi-
tion to a zero-emissions transportation future. EPA's "Clean Trucks Plan" would result
in significant emissions reductions from new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and will
be major steps towards improving air quality and addressing the climate crisis.
The regulatory actions that make up the Clean Trucks Plan are as follows:
-------
from heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting in MY 2027. The proposed standards would signifi-
cantly reduce emissions of NOx from heavy-duty gasoline and diesel engines and set stronger GHG
standards for certain heavy-duty vehicle categories. This proposed rule would ensure heavy-duty ve-
hicles and engines are as clean as possible while helping jump-start the transition to zero-emission
vehicles in the heavy-duty fleet.
EPA last revised the NOx standards for on-highway heavy-duty trucks and engines in 2001—more
than 20 years ago. Although those standards achieved important NOx reductions, new technolo-
gies that are an evolution of those available today can help achieve the additional reductions we
need to improve air quality and health in our communities.
EPA intends to finalize this proposal before the end of 2022.
Air Quality and Health Impacts of Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Emissions from heavy-duty vehicles contribute to poor air quality and health across the country,
especially in overburdened and underserved communities. Without further reductions, heavy-duty
vehicles will continue to be one of the largest contributors to mobile source emissions of NOx,
which react in the atmosphere to form ozone and particulate matter. Heavy-duty vehicles would
contribute 32 percent of the mobile source NOx emissions, and 89 percent of onroad NOx
emissions, in calendar year 2045. These pollutants are linked to respiratory and/or cardiovascular
problems and other adverse health impacts that lead to hospital admissions, emergency depart-
ment visits, and premature deaths.
Pollution from trucks directly affects people who live near roads and other areas of high truck
activity like ports. Populations who live, work, or go to school near high-traffic roadways experience
higher rates of numerous adverse health effects. EPA has estimated that 72 million people live
within 200 meters of a truck freight route, and relative to the rest of the population, people of
color and those with lower incomes are more likely to live near truck routes. NOx pollution from
heavy-duty vehicles also impairs visibility and causes damage to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Mobile Source NOx (2045)
0% !%
Onroad Light-Duty Gasoline
Onroad Light-Duty Diesel
Onroad Heavy-Duty Gasoline
Onroad Heavy-Duty Diesel
Nonroad Gasoline
Nonroad Diesel
Commercial Marine Vessels
Locomotives
Aircraft
Sources: MOVES3 for onroad and nonroad
and 2016 Emissions Modeling Platform for
all other mobile sectors.
6%
16%
22%
14%
-------
Heavy-Duty Vehicles and Climate Change
Transportation is the largest source of GHG emissions in the United States, making up 29 percent
of all emissions. Within the transportation sector, heavy-duty vehicles are the second-largest con-
tributor, at 23 percent. Reducing GHG emissions is a critical step in reducing the probability of
impacts from climate change, including heat waves, drought, sea level rise, extreme climate and
weather events, coastal flooding, and wildfires. Some populations may be especially vulnerable to
damages associated with climate change, such as the very young, the elderly, low-income people,
the disabled, people of color, and indigenous populations.
Mobile Source GHGs (2019)
Ships and
AN other Boats "\
Transportation 2%
Sources
5%
Rail
2%
Aircraft
10%
Medium- and
Heavy-Duty
Trucks
23%
Light Duty
Vehicles
58%
Source: "Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
Sinks: 1990-2019 " EPA 430-R-21-005.
Significant Benefits to Public Health and Welfare
EPA's goal is to deliver significant and needed public health benefits by designing a program that
sets ambitious standards and that is feasible for the trucking industry, after giving appropriate
consideration to cost and other factors. Under the proposal, NOx emissions from the in-use fleet
of heavy-duty trucks would be reduced by as much as 60 percent in 2045 and would result in wide-
spread air quality improvements across the U.S., especially in areas already overburdened by air
pollution and diesel emissions. Reducing these emissions will provide cleaner air for communities
across the country, prevent health issues like asthma, and ultimately save money, lives, and trips to
the hospital.
The present value of the stream of health-related benefits for the years 2027 through 2045 for
the most robust proposed option would be as much as $250 billion dollars, assuming a 3 percent
discount rate. EPA estimates that in 2045, the most robust proposed option would result in public
health benefits by preventing the following (annually):
• Between 860 and 2,100 premature deaths
• 6,700 hospital admissions and emergency department visits
• 18,000 cases of asthma onset in children
• 3.1 million cases of asthma symptoms and allergic rhinitis symptoms
• 78,000 lost days of work
• 1.1 million lost school days
The benefits of the proposed rule would exceed its costs by billions of dollars.
-------
Reducing NOx Emissions from Heavy-duty Vehicles: Proposed
Regulatory Options
This proposed rule would reduce NOx from heavy-duty vehicles over a wide range of operating
conditions, with significant emissions reductions at low speeds, idling, and in stop-and-go traffic.
EPA is proposing longer useful life periods to ensure engines would meet emission standards for
more of their operational lives and prompt engine manufacturers to design and build durable
engines and emission controls. EPA is also proposing longer emissions warranty periods which
would increase the number of useful life miles covered under warranty. Longer warranty periods
may make it less likely for owners to tamper with emissions controls, and more likely that owners
will make needed repairs.
EPA is proposing two regulatory options and is requesting comment on both, as well as considering
the full range of options between them. Both options would set stronger standards for NOx
emissions beginning in MY 2027, increase regulatory useful life, and increase emissions-related
warranty periods. Proposed Option 1 would implement stronger NOx standards in two steps. The
first increase in stringency would be in MY 2027, and the second would be in MY 2031; under this
Option the 2031 NOx standards would be 90% lower than today's standards. Option 2 would
immediately jump to full implementation of a NOx standard in MY 2027. As shown below,
Option 2 would achieve less NOx emissions reductions than Option 1.
Heavy-Duty Highway NOx Emissions Inventory: Baseline versus
Proposed Options 1 and 2
Ejwlirip ^-PmpaiLsl Option 1 ——Propound OpLion 2
1,200,000
ioo.ooo
~
Cjr-tT'idji Yl'ji
Updating Existing Greenhouse Gas Standards
We are at the early stages of a significant transition in the history of the heavy-duty on-highway
vehicle sector—a shift to zero-emission vehicle technologies. Major truck manufacturers and U.S.
states have announced plans to transition the heavy-duty fleet to zero-emissions technology, and
over the past few years we have seen the early introduction of zero-emission technologies in several
commercial vehicle market segments. In light of these developments, the agency is now proposing
targeted updates to the "Phase 2" GHG standards to reflect these market shifts to zero-emission
-------
technologies, which the agency did not foresee when it issued the "Phase 2" GHG emission
standards. The "Phase 2" standards began in 2021 and become stronger every three years through
2027. The fully phased-in Phase 2 standards will achieve up to 24-25 percent lower C07 emissions
compared to the previous GHG standards. The existing Phase 2 standards are still phasing-in, with
the next change in stringency coming in 2024.
This proposal would further tighten the "Phase 2" GHG standards for MY 2027 for 17 of the 33
subcategories of vocational and tractor vehicles. These subsectors include school buses, transit
buses, commercial delivery trucks, and short-haul tractors. EPA is also requesting comment on
whether it would be appropriate in the final rule to increase the stringency of the standards even
more than what we propose for MYs 2027 through 2029, including the potential for progressively
stronger C07 standards across these three model years.
The agency aims to finalize standards that are as strong as possible in the near term and that provide
a robust starting point for ambitious GHG standards for the truck industry as soon as MY 2030.
Related Actions
As noted above, EPA is developing two additional regulations under President Biden's Clean
Trucks Plan. As part of a proposal for light- and medium-duty vehicles, EPA will consider new,
stronger emission standards for MY 2027 and later commercial pickup trucks and vans. EPA is
also developing "Phase 3" GHG emissions standards for heavy-duty engines and vehicles starting
as early as MY 2030. These three rulemaking actions provide the opportunity for EPA to establish
comprehensive, multipollutant standards for the near term and the long term, all while considering
the significant potential for emission reductions that zero-emission technology can provide.
Public Participation
EPA welcomes public input into this rulemaking and looks forward to continuing its engagement
with stakeholders throughout the rulemaking process. Today's proposal reflects input from stake-
holders including community groups, the trucking industry, environmental and public health
organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments gathered through comments in response to
the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and through meetings with stakeholders throughout
the development of the proposal.
EPA plans to hold a virtual public hearing for this proposal. EPA will begin registering speakers
for the hearing upon publication of the proposal in the Federal Register. To register, please use the
registration link that will be available on the EPA rule webpage once registration begins:
www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/proposed-rule-and-related-materials-control-air-l.
Written comments must be received on or before 46 days after publication in the Federal Register.
For More Information
You can access the Notice and related documents on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Transportation and Air Quality webpage at:
www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/proposed-rule-and-related-materials-control-air-l.
------- |