EPA proposes to loosen requirements for truck pollution controls

Energy & Environment EPA proposes to loosen requirements for truck pollution controls Comments: by Rachel Frazin - 07/09/26 1:33 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Rachel Frazin - 07/09/26 1:33 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it is proposing to loosen requirements for pollution controls that rein in emissions from heavy duty trucks.

The administration said the technical changes are expected to allow for more flexibility for truck companies, when compared to a Biden-era rule.

The move is also expected to undermine some of the Biden rule’s pollution protections.

In particular, the Trump administration is proposing to shorten the amount of time that engine manufacturers have to guarantee that pollution controls will work.

The Biden administration extended this warranty from 100,000 miles to 450,000 miles. The Trump administration said in a press release that it was proposing to “scale back” the warranty requirement.

In a recent Hill op-ed, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assistant administrator Aaron Szabo said that this change would reduce compliance costs by up to 50 percent.

It is retaining other parts of the Biden-era rule, namely its strict emissions requirements for new engines. The EPA estimates that the shorter warranty would reduce the effectiveness of federal limits by 12 percent in the year 2055.

Overall, the administration said that the changes it is proposing would save the industry $12 billion.

The rule in question was updated under the Biden administration for the first time in 20 years. It aimed to cut heavy-duty trucks’ emissions of a type of pollution known as nitrogen oxides, which can worsen respiratory health.

The Biden EPA said that the warranty change, which the Trump administration is now proposing to revoke, was aimed at ensuring that engines are properly maintained and repaired over a longer period and would reduce the likelihood of tampering.

Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitrogen dioxide, can get into the air due to emissions from vehicles and power plants.

Long-term exposure to high levels of nitrogen dioxide may contribute to the development of asthma and make people more susceptible to respiratory infections.

In addition, these gases can form acid rain when they react with water and oxygen in the air. This acid rain can harm lakes and forests.

The Trump administration has broadly sought to loosen restrictions on vehicles, including repealing climate standards for cars and trucks.

Updated at 1:52 p.m. EDT