WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo (both R-Idaho) joined Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and 31 of their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to overturn the Biden administration’s new regulation on heavy-duty vehicle emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest rule would be challenging to implement and make new, compliant trucks cost prohibitive for small business owners.
“The Biden administration’s newest target in their green energy crusade is America’s heavy duty trucks, which transport everything from manufacturing components to groceries. The EPA’s nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions standards will cause vehicle prices to soar, and ultimately, consumers in Idaho and across the country will bear the burdens of these costs at a time when families are already struggling to make ends meet. This Congressional Review Act sends a message to the Biden administration that its egregious green energy policy will hurt consumers, small business owners, and our still-fragile supply chain. If this CRA succeeds, Congress can stop this rule before it causes too much damage,” said Risch.
“The Biden administration’s latest efforts to force its ‘Green New Deal’ policies will dramatically increase costs associated with trucking, in turn increasing costs for many goods, including food, which are already at record-high levels. The trucking industry has already achieved a significant reduction in emissions, and this rule will not result in commensurate environmental benefits. Congress can--and should--stop this misguided policy,” said Crapo.
“The Biden administration is saddling the trucking industry with an onerous regulation that would jack up vehicle costs and hurt good paying jobs. This aggressive EPA rule – which will hit mom and pop truck operations the hardest – is also ineffective because it incentivizes operators to keep using older, higher-emitting trucks for longer. During a period of high inflation and supply chain disruptions, the last thing this country needs is more expensive freight costs and fewer truckers. I am proud to be leading a large coalition of my colleagues to push back against the Biden Administration’s obsession with excessive climate regulations,” said Fischer.
This resolution is supported by outside interest groups including Clark Freight Lines and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).
“The prior years of over-ambitious emission standards have already created unreliable equipment for many years and even driven one of the primary engine manufacturers out of the on-road industry. These ongoing emission systems failures are devastating,” said Danny Schnautz, President of Clark Freight Lines (Pasadena, Texas).
“If small business truckers can’t afford the new, compliant trucks, they’re going to stay with older, less efficient trucks, or leave the industry entirely. Once again, EPA has largely ignored the warnings and concerns raised by truckers in this latest rule,” said Todd Spencer, President of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).
Full text of the resolution can be found here.
In addition to Senators Risch and Fischer, the resolution was cosponsored by Sens. Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
Background:
The EPA finalized its rule on new emission standards for heavy duty vehicles on December 20, 2022. The rule would go into effect on March 27, 2023.
The rule’s new standards cover (NOx) and other air pollutants including particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide (CO). The rule would also change requirements regarding emission control systems and emission-related warranties.
The EPA estimated the technology required to meet the new rule’s standards will cost between $2,568 and $8,304 per vehicle.
Existing regulations on trucks have already resulted in a decrease in NOx emissions between 98% and 99% compared to models from the late 1990s.
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