Commentary

Sierra Club: Administration Proposes Standards to Make Freight Trucks More Efficient


Washington, D.C. –(ENEWSPF)–June 19, 2015.  Today the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation proposed the second phase of efficiency and emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks. Coming on the heels of the first-ever fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks, which went into effect last year, this second phase further cuts oil use and slashes emissions while making goods cheaper to deliver. Today, tractor-trailers average roughly six miles per gallon — the same as they have for decades. By utilizing advanced technologies, from aerodynamic trailers to automated manual transmissions, we can cost-effectively increase the efficiency of freight trucks.

In Response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the following statement:

“We applaud the Obama administration for proposing standards that will make heavy-duty trucks significantly cleaner and more efficient for years to come.This new policy will slash oil consumption and cut dangerous carbon pollution, further proving we don’t need new extreme oil projects like Arctic drilling or the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

“The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation have worked diligently on this proposal to reduce fuel consumption by much as 24%, which is a step in the right direction. However, analysis shows that we can reduce new truck fuel consumption 40 percent by 2025 — faster than the administration suggests. We look forward to engaging with the agencies to strengthen these standards.”

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About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

Source: www.sierraclub.org

Related Article:

EPA, DOT Propose Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks

 


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