According to a Federal Register entry on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010, the EPA and NHTSA, on behalf of the Department of Transportation, are each proposing rules to establish a comprehensive program that will establish fuel efficiency guidelines, and related greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, for on-road heavy-duty vehicles.

The proposal is in response to President Obama's May directive to produce fuel consumption standards and CO₂ emissions standards.

The regulations will be tailored to each of three regulatory categories of heavy-duty vehicles:

• Combination tractors;
• Heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans;
• Vocational vehicles;
• Gasoline and diesel heavy-duty engines.

The EPA's proposed hydrofluorocarbon emissions standards would apply to air conditioning systems in tractors, pickup trucks, and vans, and the agency's proposed N₂O) and methane emissions standards would apply to all heavy-duty engines, pickup trucks, and vans.

The agency is also requesting comment on possible alternative CO₂-equivalent approaches for model year 2012-14 light-duty vehicles. The GHG standards would begin with model year 2014. NHTSA's proposed fuel consumption standards under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 would be voluntary in model years 2014 and 2015, becoming mandatory with model year 2016 for most regulatory categories.

Commercial trailers would not be regulated in this phase of the Heavy-Duty National Program, although there is a discussion of the possibility of future action for trailers.

Comments on all aspects of this proposal must be received on or before Jan. 31, 2011.

SOURCE: Federal Register