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The South Coast Air Quality Management District is asking the federal government to adopt tougher standards regulating tailpipe emissions produced by large trucks.
The district joined 10 other state and local air quality agencies in calling for an ultra-low nitrogen oxide exhaust emissions standard that would be 10 times stronger than the current limit, according to a statement the district released late Friday.
Large trucks should be required to meet those standards by Jan. 1, 2022, said the district, which includes the Inland Empire in its jurisdiction.
Without tougher standards, Southern California will not be able to cut its level of pollution to federal standards during the next 15 years, according to the petition, which was submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Cleaner truck technology exists,” Wayne Nastri, the district’s acting executive officer said in the statement. “We need the federal government to adopt a tougher heavy-duty truck engine standard nationwide.”
Clean-air districts in New York City, New Hampshire, Delaware, Connecticut and the Bay Area were among the other agencies that signed the petition.
AQMD officials, along with representatives from the other agencies that are calling for the tougher emission standards, are scheduled to meet with EPA and Congressional representatives in Washington, D.C., later this month.
