The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have extended through Oct. 1 a comment period for an expansive proposed rule on greenhouse gas for trucks, the agencies announced Aug. 31.
The original deadline for the public to comment on the proposed Phase 2 rule had been Sept. 17. Information on how to comment on the proposal is found at the Federal Register.
With the Phase 2 proposal, which would take effect in 2018, the agencies intend to cut overall GHG emissions by about 1 billion metric tons. They also intend to conserve about 1.8 billion barrels of oil and lower fuel costs by about $170 billion over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the phased-in program that takes full effect in 2027.
Last month, EPA and NHTSA held public hearings in Chicago and Long Beach, California, to gain input from stakeholders on the proposal. Officials from several industry firms who spoke at the hearings urged federal regulators to consider upfront cost impacts for shipping operators while acknowledging fleet operators could save money by using less fuel over the long term.
American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves said the industry remains concerned that the proposal could result in the deployment of technologies before they are fully tested.
The transportation sector is the second-biggest contributor to the country’s carbon footprint, according to EPA. Medium- and heavy-duty trucks emit about one-fifth of the sector’s carbon pollution. They account for about 5% of roadway vehicles.
