EPA proposes tighter fuel standards for trucks

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration on Friday proposed tough new standards to reduce pollution from carbon-emitting trucks and vans.

The new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency are designed to slash carbon dioxide emissions by 24 percent over the next 12 years while reducing oil consumption by up to 1.8 billion barrels over the lifetime of the vehicles sold under the rule.

Medium and heavy-duty vehicles account for about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and oil use in the U.S. transportation sector, an impact on the environment and a contributor to climate change. The trucks and vans comprise only 5 percent of vehicles on the road.

The rules come amid a flurry of actions by Obama on the environment, including a new federal rule regulating small streams and wetlands and a separate rule to restrict emissions from airplanes.

The administration also is expected to move forward this summer on its plan to curb carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants, a rule Republicans in Congress have vowed to stop.

The long-expected rules also come one day after Pope Francis issued a teaching document calling for the world to take action to slow climate change.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the new rules would help the environment and the economy, as trucks use less fuel and shipping costs go down.

Gina McCarthy, chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, said the rules would deliver “big time” on Obama’s call to cut carbon pollution.

“With emission reductions weighing in at 1 billion tons, this proposal will save consumers, businesses and truck owners money,” McCarthy said. At the same time, the rules will “spur technology innovation and job-growth, while protecting Americans’ health and our environment over the long haul,” she said.

The truck rule appeared to generate less controversy than some of the previous regulations on this issue, although the industry was still reviewing the proposal.