Arlington, Virginia — Today, the American Trucking Associations commended the Environmental Protection Agency for taking the first step in reviewing and implementing new standards for NOx emissions from heavy trucks.
“As an industry engaged in interstate commerce, ATA strongly favors a single national emission pathway as opposed to a patchwork of state standards,” said ATA Executive Vice President of Advocacy Bill Sullivan. “Clean air and a healthy environment are important to all of us and the trucking industry has repeatedly demonstrated that it can work proactively and in partnership with the federal government in achieving these aims. We look forward to working with the EPA in developing a standard that achieves nationwide air quality improvements across the country while maintaining a strong and robust economy.”
ATA and EPA have a long history of successful, collaborative efforts to improve air quality, including the EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership, and the association said it looked forward to continuing that relationship.
“Clean air is an issue that affects all of us,” said ATA Vice President, Energy & Environmental Affairs Counsel Glen Kedzie. “ATA has worked with EPA in the past to make sure emissions standards – like the current NOx rule and Phase II of the greenhouse gas emissions rules for heavy-duty vehicles – are not just achievable, but that they are indeed achieved. ATA and its members are constantly purchasing newer, cleaner, more efficient vehicles, and, as a result, we have achieved historic reductions in emissions of all kinds. That is a track record we are not only proud of but that we look forward to continuing into the future.”
As part of this effort, ATA is convening a task force to weigh solutions and principles to address the issue of NOx emissions.