The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday it is now asking for public input regarding the availability of zero-emission technologies in port sectors and heavy-duty trucking.
Last week the Agency held public hearings regarding its proposed Phase 3 greenhouse-gas regulations for heavy-duty trucks and hear from a number of commenters in the trucking and truck manufacturing industries that, while they support EPA’s overall goal of reducing emissions, the infrastructure for zero-emission trucks is not currently adequate enough to meet the Phase 3 proposal.
EPA says it “already has considerable information about the availability of certain types of [zero-emission] technologies,”, but the agency is inviting public comment so it will have “the most comprehensive and current information available.”
Specifically, the EPA states it is interested in comments about the availability, market price and performance of zero-emission trucks and port equipment, electric charging and other fueling infrastructure needs for zero-emission technologies in the near term (1-3 years, and 1-5 years for port equipment), and whether the components of the systems are manufactured in the United States.
The agency said the Build America Buy America Act (BABA) requires iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials used in infrastructure projects funded by federal financial assistance to be produced in the United States.
“While BABA provides the opportunity for EPA to issue certain waivers to these requirements, approval depends on many factors, including the price and availability of domestically sourced materials and products,” the EPA states.
“This information will enable EPA to effectively design programs to expeditiously fund currently available zero-emission technologies, as well as consider allowances, such as longer project timeframes, for specific technologies,” the agency adds
Comments can be filed through June 5 at www.regulations.gov by searching docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0216.
