Statement of Bob Perciasepe
President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

June 19, 2015

On the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed regulations to cut greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty trucks:

Transportation is second only to electricity as a source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why it’s important to keep improving the fuel economy and reducing the harmful emissions of America’s cars and trucks.

In 2011, EPA adopted the first-ever fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. This new proposal will further strengthen the standards for future model years, and could reduce emissions an additional 24 percent by 2027.

The United States has already taken significant action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our cars and light trucks. These new standards for heavy-duty trucks will reduce fuel costs and our dependence on foreign oil, which is good for the economy, and reduce climate-altering emissions, which is good for the environment.

This proposal is an important step toward achieving U.S. goals for reducing carbon emissions and demonstrating U.S. leadership as we seek a global climate agreement this year in Paris.

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Contact: Marty Niland, nilandm@c2es.org or 703-516-0600

About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization promoting strong policy and action to address the challenges of energy and climate change. Learn more at www.c2es.org.