For the primary time in 20 years the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched new requirements for semi-trucks to lend a hand decrease air air pollution.
Some smaller trucking firms worry the extra prices for those environmentally pleasant automobiles may just push them out of the business.
It shall be a number of years prior to those vehicles hit the street. Manufacturers will have to observe the brand new EPA rule for style yr 2027 vehicles, however small industry house owners are getting ready now.
“Is it good for the environment; is it good for our health? Yes, I’m all about it,” stated William John, the president of John N. John, a trucking corporate in Crowley, Louisiana. “But we’re going to need help somewhere to absorb these costs. For a family-owned company, it will be a financial hit.”
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The EPA estimates the brand new necessities may just value an additional $8,304 consistent with automobile for a large rig with a heavy diesel engine, however the ones within the business are getting ready for the associated fee to be upper.
“The price of the trucks will probably go up […] to $15,000 a piece,” John stated. “Someone has to pay for it. We don’t want to skimp on safety regulations and we don’t want to pay our employees less, so it could eventually trickle down to the consumer.”
The EPA says the brand new requirements are 80% more potent and can considerably scale back nitrogen oxide emissions. Nitrogen dioxide has been connected to middle and lung issues.
“Right now we are all paying for the pollution from these trucks,” stated Lisa Frank with Environment America. “We’re paying in terms of higher hospital bills and asthma, missed work, missed school.”
The EPA estimates through 2045, the rule of thumb will lead to as much as 2,900 fewer untimely deaths, 6,700 fewer health facility admissions and 18,000 fewer instances of formative years bronchial asthma. However, on account of its attainable have an effect on at the trucking business, a gaggle of 34 Republican senators are pushing for the EPA rule to be overturned.
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In a February press liberate, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) stated, “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.”
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John want to see the federal government give tax credit to the corporations who acquire the EPA licensed vehicles.
“Let them take a part of it, so it makes it easier for us to swallow,” John stated. “Otherwise, especially for smaller, two to three truck companies, it comes down to maybe this is not the business anymore.”