On June 3, 2016, the Akron Regional Air Management District joined 10 other regional air agencies in petitioning EPA to adopt stringent new restrictions on emissions from heavy-duty trucks. The petitioners asked EPA to revise the on-road heavy-duty engine exhaust emissions standards for nitrogen oxide (NO_x) from 0.2 grams per brake horsepower-hour (g/bhp-hr) to 0.02 g/bhp-h. The petitioners claim that such controls are necessary to achieve compliance with the 2015 8-hour NAAQS for ozone and to protect public health, as NO_x is a precursor to ozone.

The petitioners asked EPA to take the following actions:

• Develop a rule for an ultra-low NO_x exhaust emissions standard of 0.02 g/bhp-hr for on-road heavy-duty truck engines by July 2017 and adopt a final rule by December 31, 2017;
• Require ultra-low NO_x truck engines to meet the 0.02 g/bhp-hr standard by January 1, 2022;
• Phase in full implementation of the ultra-low NO_x standard if the standard is not feasible for certain classes of vehicles and establish, if necessary, an intermediate NO_x emissions standard no higher than 0.05 g/bhp-hr. Full implementation of the new ultra-low NO_xstandard would occur no later than January 1, 2024; and
• Develop guidelines under the federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act to provide incentives to truck owners to upgrade from a truck meeting the current 2010 NO_x engine standard to a truck meeting the ultra-low NO_x engine standard. Guidelines would allow for the sale and use of the older truck only in areas in attainment of the federal ozone standard.

The petition in its entirety is available at: http://www.aqmd.gov/home/library/public-information/2016-news-archives/nox-petition-to-epa