LOC17:52
14:52 GMT
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 (KUNA) - President Barack Obama met with industry
officials on Tuesday to discuss the first-of-their-kind fuel efficiency and
greenhouse-gas pollution standards for work trucks, buses and other heavy-duty
vehicles.
The White House meeting marked the administration's announcement of the
standards, which will save American businesses that operate and own these
commercial vehicles approximately 50 billion dollars in fuel costs over the
life of the program, according to the White House.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) developed the standards in close coordination with the companies
that met with Obama, as well as other stakeholders, following requests from
companies to develop the program.
The cost savings for American businesses are on top of the 1.7 trillion
dollars that American families will save at the pump from the fuel-efficiency
standards announced by the administration for cars and light-duty trucks,
including the model year 2017-2025 agreement announced by the President last
month, the White House announcement said.
"While we were working to improve the efficiency of cars and light-duty
trucks, something interesting happened," Obama said. "We started getting
letters asking that we do the same for medium and heavy-duty trucks. They were
from the people who build, buy and drive these trucks. And today, I am proud
to have the support of these companies as we announce the first-ever national
policy to increase fuel efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas pollution from
medium-and heavy-duty trucks."
Under the comprehensive new national program, trucks and buses built in
2014 through 2018 will reduce oil consumption by a projected 530 million
barrels and greenhouse gas pollution by approximately 270 million metric tons.
The program - which relies heavily on off-the-shelf technologies - was
developed in coordination with truck and engine manufacturers, fleet owners,
the state of California, environmental groups and other stakeholders.
The DOT/EPA program will include a range of targets specific to the diverse
vehicle types and purposes.
Vehicles are divided into three major categories: combination tractors
(semi-trucks), heavy-duty pickup trucks and vans, and vocational vehicles
(like transit buses and refuse trucks). Within each of those categories, even
more specific targets are laid out based on the design and purpose of the
vehicle. (end)
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