CONTACT:
Sara Klein, sara_klein@dkcnews.com
Sasha Tenenbaum, stenenbaum@momscleanairforce.org, (917) 887-0146
Washington, DC—Today, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan announced the finalization of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles, Phase 3. These standards apply to vehicles ranging from delivery trucks to big-rig tractors and a host of other commercial vehicles, beginning in model year (MY) 2027. As an organization that has been fighting for stronger protections against air and climate pollution since 2011, we thank EPA for taking this important step toward cleaner air.
In response to the announcement, Moms Clean Air Force’s Elizabeth Bechard, Senior Policy Analyst for Moms Clean Air Force, issued the following statement:
“Heavy-duty vehicles are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and a major source of health-harming pollution. And while heavy-duty vehicles are important to our economy and to our day-to-day lives, EPA’s move to cut tailpipe pollution from heavy-duty vehicles is a step toward cleaning up the transportation sector’s air pollution. We know families across the country want cleaner vehicles, and we know that we have the technology. These new protections from EPA—taken together with significant new protections around cars and particle pollution—are setting us on a course for a healthier future for our planet and for our children. Moms Clean Air Force will continue to fight relentlessly for clean air and a stable climate as the market moves toward more zero emission trucks.”
In response to the announcement, Moms Clean Air Force’s Mercedes McKinley, Nevada Field Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force, issued this statement:
“For most of my life, I have lived next to urban highways. Like so many families I grew up with, affordable housing has meant living alongside tailpipe pollution from cars and trucks. This has taken a toll on my family with one heart-breaking medical setback after another. I’m pleased to see the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) take action with stronger safeguards against tailpipe pollution. As a mother, I know EPA’s move to cut pollution from heavy-duty vehicles will improve health outcomes for children and save lives, and that’s especially true for those in low-income communities bearing the brunt of air pollution. Of course, we will keep fighting for even more reductions from our transportation sector, one of the country’s most polluting sectors. When it comes to the goal of zero-pollution from vehicles, our foot is firmly on the accelerator.”
RESOURCES:
- Fact Sheet: Tailpipe Pollution and Our Health
- Article: Healthy and Clean Transportation Is Possible
- Article: Moms Clean Air Force’s Liz Hurtado Gave Strong Remarks at EPA Transportation Event
- Statement on Car Pollution Standards: New Tailpipe Pollution Standards Mark Critical Progress Toward Healthier Future