President Joe Biden on Wednesday vetoed a resolution that had previously passed the Senate and House of Representatives to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Heavy-Duty Truck Rule that was announced last December.
By vetoing the resolution, the regulations will remain in place as initially intended.
The rule establishes emission limits for nitrogen oxide (NOx) from commercial trucks beginning with the 2027 model year, tightening tailpipe NOx limits to a level 80%-plus below the current standard and reducing the particulate matter limit by 50%. The agency also will require that OEMs extend warranties to 450,000 miles from 100,000 and useful life limits to 650,000 miles from 435,000 miles.
The resolution first passed the Senate in April, followed by the House in May.
[RELATED: EPA releases revised 2027 emission regulations]
In vetoing the resolution, Biden said EPA’s rule “cuts pollution, boosts public health, and advances environmental justice in communities across the country. It will prevent hundreds, if not thousands, of premature deaths; thousands of childhood asthma cases; and millions of missed school days every year.”
He added that the resolution would have denied “communities these health benefits by resulting in weaker emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles and engines, which are significant sources of pollutants that threaten public health. If enacted, the resolution would squander $36 billion in benefits to society -- and an opportunity to lead on the defining crisis of our time.”
