Editorial: Carbon Rule Approaching
This Editorial appears in the April 6 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.
The rumor mill was correct: The federal government did not publish its Phase 2 greenhouse-gas rule on truck emissions by March 31.
The urge to say “gotcha” fades quickly, though, because a number of desirable developments appear to be sprouting around the proposal that the Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jointly sent to the White House on March 27.
Most importantly, a key EPA official recently stated that the agencies are aware of what happened with truck making in 2006 and 2007, and they do not want to repeat that boom-bust.
People were so fearful of buying trucks made after Jan. 1, 2007, because of a change in emissions standards, that sales blew through the roof in 2005 and 2006 only to plunge catastrophically after that. It was a miserable time for truck makers, their suppliers, employees and dealers, and the people who bought the vehicles. Apparently, the grim lesson has been learned.
In addition to hearing something good, let us note the dog that hasn’t barked: There has been no whispering campaign from manufacturers wondering, “Oh, dear heavens, what is EPA up to? They’re going to demolish the industry with this rule!”
EPA, NHTSA and manufacturers, by all accounts, have been talking to each other. Truck and engine makers surely won’t like every sentence in what probably will be a massive rule, but it appears surprises will be minimal.
Reducing carbon emissions as a path to mitigating the dangers of climate change clearly is an important goal for the Obama administration. The president and his lieutenants are pursuing carbon policies with respect to power plants, factories, international agreements, cars and trucks.
Still, we hope the Office of Management and Budget will give the regulatory proposal a rigorous review. Less carbon comes about through better mileage — and all truck operators want that — but at what price?
This rule involves billions of dollars’ worth of business, so please consider it carefully. Let us not use this rule to lunge toward the day of the $200,000 highway tractor.
The White House OMB staffers are supposed to be the cost-benefit people. We hope that “rate of return” is in their vocabulary and that they realize the technological wonders springing from industry and government laboratories must be paid for by an industry that must make a reasonable profit.
