| October 28, 2008 |  |
California Diesel Rules Would Improve Public Health, Reduce Global Warming Pollution
Science Group Estimates Rule Would Save 1 Billion Gallons of Diesel Fuel Annually by 2020
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently released two new draft truck rules that would dramatically reduce diesel fuel consumption and better protect public health and the environment, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). One rule, a first-of-its-kind proposal addressing truck global warming pollution, would significantly reduce heat-trapping emissions. The other rule, which addresses smog-forming and particulate pollution, would markedly improve California air quality, saving thousands of lives over the next decade.
TRUCK GLOBAL WARMING RULE WOULD CUT POLLUTION AND FUEL CONSUMPTION
CARB's first proposal would boost heavy-duty-truck fuel efficiency to reduce their global warming emissions. The main target is the most common type of truck on the highway: a 53-foot-long trailer pulled by a large tractor. According to UCS, the rule would save 1 billion gallons of diesel fuel annually across the country in 2020. UCS calculates that the up-front cost of installing fuel efficient technology on tractors and trailers would be offset by reduced fuel costs over time.
The new rule would require both new trucks and those already on the road to add aerodynamic features and more fuel-efficient tires. Such improvements would boost fuel-efficiency by 8 percent, according to a recent UCS report. Additionally, the regulation would require sleep-in cabs in new tractors to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay specifications. The SmartWay program is similar to the voluntary EnergyStar program for consumer appliances, but it focuses on tractors with sleep-in cabs. SmartWay-certified tractors are typically 2 percent more fuel-efficient than standard ones.
The new rule would apply to new tractors and trailers starting with the 2011 model year. Truck owners would have to upgrade tractors model year 2010 and older by 2012, and upgrade trailers model year 2010 and older by 2013. Under the draft rule, fleets would have the option to phase in these upgrades over a six-year period.
UCS has identified four areas where CARB could improve the draft rule:
- The rule's tire requirement applies only to van trailers that are at least 53 feet long and the tractors that pull them. UCS estimates these tractor-trailers account for 60 percent of all tractor-trailer miles driven in the state each year. That means that the rule would not cover the other 40 percent of all tractor-trailer miles driven by tractors that pull flat beds, tankers and shorter trailers.
- The rule would not maximize reductions from new tractors and trailers, which offer the greatest potential for cutting pollution and fuel consumption. If CARB required a full set of aerodynamic trailer features and tire upgrades for new trucks, the rule would eliminate 30 percent more pollution. Those improvements would pay for themselves over time and result in an estimated $30,000 in net savings over the truck's first eight years in service, the average time such a vehicle would be used for long-distance trips.
- The CARB draft rule would not cover straight trucks—typical delivery trucks with permanently attached tractors and trailers.
- CARB's proposal exempts trucks that are driven less than 50,000 miles per year, because lower mileage vehicles are typically less cost-effective to retrofit. But it also exempts trucks that operate in a range shorter than 100 miles. While a 50,000-mile-per-year limit is easy to check with odometer readings, a 100-mile-range limit would create a hard-to-enforce loophole. At the same time, many tractor-trailer combinations travel more than 50,000 miles a year by making numerous short haul trips within a 100-mile range. The draft rule would not address those trucks' pollution or fuel consumption.
SMOG AND PARTICULATE RULE SURPASSES NATIONAL STANDARD
CARB's proposed rule controlling smog-forming emissions and particulate matter targets all diesel-fueled heavy-duty trucks operating on California's roads, including typical big-rig trucks and school buses. The rule would surpass the EPA's emissions reductions requirements.
Under the rule, most vehicles would need a diesel particulate filter by 2014. Such filters would cut particulate matter more than 95 percent and reduce emissions to levels currently achieved by today's new trucks. CARB's proposed rule would phase in between 2011 and 2023 and apply to any diesel truck heavier than 14,000 pounds traveling in the state. It also would require school buses to be equipped with particulate filters, which would better protect young children.
Additionally, the rule targets smog-forming emissions from trucks, which account for a third of such pollution in the state. Truck owners would have the next 15 years to comply by either installing additional emissions controls or upgrading to vehicles that meet EPA standards set to take effect in model year 2010.
Both the San Joaquin Valley and Los Angeles metropolitan area are relying on this proposed regulation to meet federal air quality standards. CARB estimates the rule would prevent 9,400 premature deaths and thousands of hospitalizations for heart and lung disease associated with poor air quality over the next 15 years.
CARB estimates the two new rules would cost $5.5 billion over the next 15 years, but it calculates that the benefits in reduced hospitalizations, asthma attacks and other health problems would be between $48 billion and $68 billion over the same period. Acknowledging that truck owners would need financial assistance to meet the new standards, the state plans to establish a loan program. To this end, CARB already has amassed $48 million in seed money.
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
