WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) applauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of the strongest national greenhouse gas standards in history for heavy-duty vehicle emissions to begin in model year 2027.

The stringent Phase 3 final rule will lead to approximately 1 billion metric tons of cumulative carbon dioxide emissions reductions, $13 billion in annualized net benefits, and $3.5 billion in savings for truck owners from 2027-2055. When combined with EPA’s low NOx rule, these standards will produce over $22 billion in annualized net benefits in terms of premature deaths and other health effects, marking a major win for both the climate and public health.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates that a zero-emission heavy-duty vehicle future is not only achievable, but more essential than ever given the disproportionate rate of greenhouse gas emissions from buses and trucks,” said Senator Padilla. “This historic rule reflects California’s leadership and heeds my consistent calls to implement a strong HDV emissions rule that will transform our transportation sector and safeguard clean air for all, including for disadvantaged communities in freight corridors.

“I also applaud the Biden Administration for recently launching a whole-of-government strategy to deploy the zero-emission heavy-duty infrastructure needed to make this transition a success,” Padilla continued. “The EPA should now take the crucial next step of approving California’s pending waiver request for the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation, which will further drive the adoption of zero-emission trucks across the country.”

Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in the United States, accounting for more than a quarter of all greenhouse emissions nationwide. HDVs are particularly hazardous, comprising only 10 percent of vehicles on the road but producing 28 percent of the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions, 45 percent of its nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, and 57 percent of its particulate matter emissions. Strong HDV emission standards will help significantly reduce these harmful impacts to air quality, climate change, and public health while improving American economic competitiveness and accelerating job creation.

Senator Padilla has consistently fought for emissions reductions in the transportation sector. Last year, Senators Padilla, Tom Carper (D-Del.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) led 77 of their colleagues in writing a bicameral letter to the EPA, urging the agency to finalize the strongest feasible greenhouse gas emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles as part of their Phase 3 rule. In November, Padilla, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and leaders from the HDV industry further pressed the EPA finalize a strong rule by early 2024. Earlier in the year, Padilla and Markey also led 56 of their colleagues in pushing the EPA to finalize and issue strong vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards for both cars and trucks by the end of 2023. Previously, Padilla and the late Dianne Feinstein successfully pushed the Administration to revise emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, which had previously not been revised in 20 years.

Earlier this month, Padilla, Carper, and Markey issued a joint statement after the EPA finalized light-duty vehicle emission standards. Padilla also applauded the Administration’s announcement of its National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy to guide the national deployment of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty freight transportation vehicle (ZE-MHDV) charging and fueling infrastructure, which followed his efforts to call on the Joint Office to prioritize the deployment of ZE-MHDV as part of its core mission.

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