Streaming lines of heavy-duty transport trucks speed along American highways, hustling essential goods to cities and hubs. These vital supply chains must be fed, and America is doing just that, but at the cost of many lives.

Debuting the first new emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks in 20 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the rule could prevent as many as 2,900 premature deaths each year due to toxic emissions from the diesel-fueled big rigs.

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, at 29 percent. And within the overall transport sector, heavy-duty vehicles in total are the second-largest emissions contributor, at 23 percent, according to EPA data.

Thirteen million trucks operate in the United States reports the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Of this number, 2.9 million are tractor trailers.

To limit toxic smog-forming pollutants from these millions of heavy-duty trucks, the U.S. EPA has issued a new rule <https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/final-rule-and-related-materials-control-air-pollution> targeting nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

The new rule is the first update to clean air standards for heavy-duty trucks in more than 20 years. They are more than 80 percent stronger than current standards. But not everyone is happy with them.

Ceres, a Boston nonprofit that works with capital market influencers to resolve sustainability challenges, argues that the final rule will not be strong enough to address this pollution in a timely manner, Zach Friedman, director of federal policy at Ceres, said.

"Large commercial vehicles are critical to the functioning of our economy, and there is no reason they must threaten our climate or the health of the communities they pass through," Friedman said. "While we are pleased that the EPA will now more effectively regulate NOx pollutants, we are disappointed that the agency did not opt for more aggressive action and stronger, still-feasible standards."

"Ceres will keep pushing for additional regulations to further cut vehicle pollution by ensuring the availability of zero-emission trucks, especially as federal investments recently approved by Congress make these vehicles more accessible," Friedman said.

With these facts in mind, on December 20, 2022 the U.S. EPA finalized the strongest-ever national clean air standards to cut smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks, beginning with model year 2027.

"EPA is taking significant action to protect public health, especially the health of 72 million people living near truck freight routes in America, including our most vulnerable populations in historically overburdened communities," said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. "But we’re not stopping there. This is just the first action under EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan to pave the way toward a zero-emission future."