First cars, now trucks: Biden takes aim at tailpipe pollution

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a new rule aimed at reducing emissions from new trucks, delivery vans, and buses, focusing on cutting greenhouse gases and pollutants harmful to human health 
• This rule is part of broader efforts to transition to electric and other zero-emission vehicles, following similar regulations for cars

🔭 The context: This regulation, which is the first major update in over two decades targeting pollution from diesel trucks, does not mandate a specific zero-emission technology  
• But it requires manufacturers to choose from cleaner options, including electric, hybrid, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles
• It aims to benefit communities disproportionately affected by diesel exhaust, a known contributor to asthma, heart disease, and premature deaths

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The rule is expected to avoid 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases, significantly contributing to efforts against climate change 
• It targets a reduction in deadly particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, improving air quality and health in communities near freight routes 
• These are often populated by people of color or those with lower incomes

⏭️ What's next: Although the trucking industry expresses concerns about costs and the practicality of electric trucks, especially in cold weather, the Biden administration supports the transition with subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure 
• The final rule's implementation, however, will see a slower ramp-up in cleaner vehicle production than initially proposed, with significant changes postponed until after 2030

💬 One quote: “Reducing emissions from our heavy-duty vehicles means cleaner air and less pollution. It means safer and more vibrant communities,” (EPA Administrator Michael Regan)

📈 One stat: Nearly 13,000 of the 12.2 million trucks in the United States are electric, underscoring the rarity of electric trucks on national roads but highlighting a growing trend towards electrification

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