In May, President Barack Obama signed a memorandum directing the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to co-write the first-ever fuel-efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
"I believe it's possible in the next 20 years for vehicles to use half the fuel and produce half the pollution that they do today," Obama said at a White House ceremony at the time.
Margo Oge, director of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, said an announcement would happen “soon,” The Detroit News reported today. The newspaper said details could be released as early as Monday.
In US Heavy-duty trucks account for a large percentage of emissions which consume more than 2 million barrels of oil every day and has an average of 6.1 mpg and emit 20 percent of the greenhouse gases.
This new proposal could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 250 million metric tons over five years, The News reported.
Under the new medium- and heavy-duty truck rules, manufacturers would be encouraged to replace old diesel engines with new, cleaner diesels. The government already has spent $200 million on the effort since 2005.
New diesel engines emit 90 percent fewer environmental pollutants, including those that contribute to smog, compared with engines made 20 years ago, Reuters reported.
- Autonews Inputs
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