U.S. EPA should crack down on non-road Diesels, congress should mandate Truck/Bus retrofits

Diesel Fuel News, Jan 7, 2002

Clean Air Trust chairman Robert Stafford (former U.S. Senate Environment Committee chair) urges EPA not to bend to pressure from refiners to weaken tough highway diesel rules. EPA also should expand those requirements to non-road diesels, too. Citing EPA data, Stafford pointed out that non-road diesels produce more diesel soot and smog-forming NOx than diesel trucks and buses.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) should be expanded to non-road, and Congress should "authorize states to require the retrofitting of existing diesel non-road engines with emissions controls," he said. "Congress also should require the mandatory retrofitting of all heavy-duty trucks and buses when engines are rebuilt." He also urged that discussions should start on "Tier 3" light duty standards that would amount to zero or near-zero-emissions vehicles mandates.