Truck dealers study says EPA regulations worthless, costly

Environmental Protection Agency regulations over the past decade that were designed to reduce the environmental impact of emissions from trucks have backfired, according to a study conducted by the American Truck Dealers division of the National Automobile Dealers Association. The new rules, published in 1997, 2000 and 2001, targeted trucks in model years 2004 through 2010. The regulations were “designed to reduce emissions of three diesel fuel combustion products,” but instead prompted trucking companies to creatively adapt to the rules, said the report, undermining the environmental goals. The industry association’s report says that costs to implement the regulations were two to five times higher than the EPA projected, damaged the truck market and have not provided the expected environmental benefits. Compliance with the EPA’s requirements “directly resulted in higher truck prices, increased operating costs, reduced reliability, and lower file economic performance,” the NADA alleges. Presumably to avoid the hassle and cost of the rules, many truck companies bought up trucks before the regulations went into effect, causing spikes in purchases the year before EPA regulations took effect, followed by a “slump” in sales once the new technology had been mandated...more