Phase 2 greenhouse gas proposal issued for heavy-duty vehicles

WASHINGTON (July 13, 2015) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have issued a sweeping, 629-page proposed rule on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption from heavy-duty vehicles.

Issued jointly last month by the EPA and NHTSA, the document represents Phase 2 of President Barack Obama's February 2014 directive to increase fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's truck fleet. The agencies' proposal appeared in the July 13 issue of the Federal Register.

The proposal covers model years 2018-2027, and covers four categories of heavy-duty vehicles:

• Combination tractors;

• Trailers used in combination with those tractors;

• Heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans; and

• Vocational vehicles.

The document also includes separate standards for the engines in combination tractors and vocational vehicles, according to the Federal Register summary.

Some of the requirements in the proposed rule are exclusive to the EPA, the summary said. These include standards to control hydrofluorocarbon leakage from air conditioning systems in vocational vehicles, as well as nitrous oxide and methane standards for heavy-duty engines.

NHTSA is also addressing misalignment in the Phase 1 standards between itself and the EPA to make sure there are no differences in compliance requirements between the two agencies, the summary said.

Sept. 11 is the deadline for comments on all aspects of the proposed rule. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, comments on the information collection provisions of the rule are best assured of consideration if the Office of Management and Budget receives them by Aug. 12, according to the summary.

The documents can be found by clicking here.