Automakers Call for Strong, Speedy 'Clean Diesel' Rule
21 September 2000
Automakers Call for Strong, Speedy 'Clean Diesel' Rule WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 Automobile manufacturers today called
on Congress and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to avoid delays
in implementing a proposed "clean diesel" rule for heavy-duty engines and
diesel fuel. The Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air
is holding a hearing on the rule September 21.
"Since EPA proposed the clean diesel rule last spring, efforts to delay
and water down the provisions have intensified. If these delay tactics are
successful, it will be a huge setback for cleaner air," said Alliance for
Automobile Manufacturers President and CEO Josephine S. Cooper. "We encourage
EPA to stand by its proposal and finalize a strong clean diesel rule by the
end of the year."
Cooper noted that recent economic studies on making and distributing
ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel have overstated the costs and difficulty of
bringing this clean fuel to market. "We have great confidence in the oil
industry's ability to meet the requirements of EPA's proposed rulemaking by
2006," Cooper continued. "Getting the sulfur out of diesel fuel will
dramatically improve air quality, and it will enable us to develop a new
generation of clean, light-duty diesel vehicles that are more fuel-efficient.
These clean diesel vehicles are coming soon, and we need clean diesel fuel to
run them."
"Clean diesel" refers to vehicles with diesel engines using clean diesel
fuel together with emission control systems to reduce substantially emissions
of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants.
EPA's heavy-duty vehicle rule, which includes reducing sulfur in diesel
fuel, was proposed on May 17, 2000 and is expected to be finalized by the end
of the year. Under EPA's proposal, refiners must reduce the sulfur in diesel
fuel by 97 percent within six years, and this cleaner fuel must contain no
more than 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. EPA's proposal also calls on
heavy duty engine manufacturers to achieve a 95 percent reduction in nitrogen
oxide (NOx) emissions phased in during 2007-2010, along with a 90 percent
reduction in particulate matter (PM).
"Alliance members have made the call for low sulfur fuels a crusade
because clean fuels are needed to run clean vehicles for clean air," Cooper
said. Because of the high sulfur content of diesel fuel, vehicles with heavy-
duty engines, such as trucks and buses, have not been able to use state-of-
the-art emission control technology. In addition, low sulfur diesel fuel would
provide immediate clean air benefits when used by the millions of trucks and
buses already on U.S. roads. In Europe, several countries are already moving
toward ultra-low sulfur content in fuels through incentives. (For more
information visit http://www.lowsulfurfuel.com.)
The Alliance is supporting elements of EPA's proposed rule, but calls on
the Agency to go farther. EPA has proposed to cap sulfur in diesel fuel at 15
ppm by mid-2006, but manufacturers want near-zero sulfur content -- 5 ppm,
along with improvements in other fuel parameters as recommended in the fuel
charter endorsed by all of the world's automakers. This ultra-clean fuel
enables manufacturers to introduce advanced aftertreatment devices for both
heavy and light duty diesel vehicles. Recent reports from the Department of
Energy's Diesel Emission Control Sulfur Effects (DESCE) Program underscore the
critical need for ultra-low sulfur, showing that even a few parts-per-million
sulfur greatly impairs vehicle exhaust aftertreatment systems.
EPA has stated that under its proposed plan, " ... diesel vehicles would
achieve gasoline-like exhaust emission levels, in addition to their inherent
advantages over gasoline vehicles with respect to fuel economy, lower
greenhouse gas emissions and lower evaporative hydrocarbon emissions." EPA's
rulemaking is also supported by state and local air pollution administrators,
environmental groups, public health organizations and engine manufacturers.
Tosco Corporation, the largest independent oil company in the United States,
has also publicly expressed support for the rulemaking.
