The US Senate has passed the Inflation Reduction Act, with nearly $400 billion in funding over 10 years for climate- and energy-related programs; among the myriad provisions in the 755-page bill are changes to the electric vehicle Federal tax credit of $7,500. The bill renews the credit starting in January... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has released the results of a multiyear study evaluating exhaust emissions from the use of California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG) that contains 15 volume percent ethanol (E15). The study was performed by a team from the University of California at Riverside (UCR) Bourns College of... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board will launch a new pilot program that aims to help small trucking fleets make the transition to zero-emission technologies. The Innovative Small e-Fleet pilot will focus on privately owned and nonprofit trucking fleets with 20 or fewer trucks and less than $15 million in annual... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for states and municipalities to track and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The new rule would: Establish a national framework for tracking state-by-state progress by adding a new GHG performance management measure to the... Read more →

The Supreme Court of the US (SCOTUS) has ruled in West Virginia v. EPA that the EPA lacks the authority to set emission standards for power plants so strict as to force a shift of power generation from fossil fuels. The opinion (6-3) applied the “major questions doctrine”, which requires... Read more →

President Biden called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for the next 90 days, through the busy summer driving season—18 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24 cents per gallon for diesel. He also called on states to suspend their state gas taxes as well or to find... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on proposed minimum standards and requirements for projects funded under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program. The proposed rule would establish the groundwork for states to build federally-funded charging station projects across a... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took action on Friday pursuant to a consent decree agreement that requires EPA to finalize RFS volumes for 2021 and 2022 no later than 3 June 2022 (Friday). In the final volumes, EPA adjusted the final biofuel volumes for 2021 to reflect updated data... Read more →

The European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) adopted this week, with 46 votes in favor, 40 against and two abstentions, a position on proposed rules to revise the CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans in line with the EU’s increased climate... Read more →

California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), launched in 2009, accelerates commercialization of zero-emission and near-zero-emission technologies by providing point-of-sale vouchers to make advanced vehicles more affordable. Of the 730 zero-emission trucks on the road in California as of January 2022, more than 60% are directly... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has released the draft 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan—the third update to the state’s initial 2008 Scoping Plan. It identifies a path to achieve carbon neutrality over the next two decades while also assessing the progress the State is making towards reducing its greenhouse... Read more →

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) demonstrated the effectiveness of its patented and award-winning CAT-DEF technology during the WCX World Congress Experience in Detroit in April. CAT-DEF—Catalyzed Diesel Exhaust Fluid—is an SwRI-developed catalyst- and surfactant-modified diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) solution. The internally funded advancement successfully reduced heavy-duty diesel engine nitrogen oxide (NOx)... Read more →

The New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) and the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board (AQCB) have each adopted the Clean Car Rule after a joint public hearing. Their independent approval of the Clean Car Rule allows California’s Advanced Clean Cars to be implemented statewide in New Mexico beginning 1... Read more →

A recent study by leading UK-based independent emissions testing company Emissions Analytics tested four apparently similar pairs of gasoline-fueled vehicles between the US (without gasoline particulate filters (GPFs)) and Europe (with GPFs). The US vehicles were tested in Michigan, and the European vehicles in the UK. The vehicles were: 3.0l... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing an emergency fuel waiver to allow E15 gasoline to be sold during the summer driving season. (Earlier post.) The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the use of low-volatility gasoline during the summer months in order to limit the formation of ozone pollution.... Read more →

The California Assembly Transportation Committee passed a landmark ZEV incentive reform bill, AB 2816, by a 6-2 vote on Monday. The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to maximize the climate and equity impacts of the state’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV)... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) pathways for certain biofuels that are produced from canola/rapeseed oil (earlier post) and is providing an opportunity for comment on the Agency’s lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis of these pathways. With the approval, these fuel pathways... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has finalized new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for MY 2024-2026. The new standards require an industry-wide fleet average of approximately 49 mpg for passenger cars and light trucks in model year 2026. Estimated Average of CAFE Levels (mpg)... Read more →

The Washington State Legislature has passed the $16.9-billion, 16-year Move Ahead Washington transportation package. The package makes significant investments in reducing carbon emissions, preservation and maintenance, expanding multimodal options, public transportation and pedestrian safety. Notable investments include: $5.4 billion toward carbon reduction and multimodal expansion. $3 billion for maintenance and... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a first-of-its-kind final rule to ensure safety of occupants in automated vehicles. This rule updates the occupant protection Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to account for vehicles that do not have the traditional manual controls associated with a... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reinstated California’s authority under the Clean Air Act to implement its own greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards and zero emission vehicle (ZEV) sales mandate. This means that the Clean Air Act (CAA) waiver granted to California to implement its Advanced Clean Car (ACC) program... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing new, stronger standards to promote clean air and reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles and engines starting in model year (MY) 2027. The proposed multi-pollutant rule would further reduce air pollution from heavy-duty engines and vehicles across the United States, including ozone and... Read more →

Delaware will join 13 other states in adopting California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulations. Implementation of the ZEV regulations would not take place until model year 2027 (2026) to provide manufacturers time to adjust their inventories and prepare dealerships. Managed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved amendments to its current rule for Transport Refrigeration Units (TRUs) operating in the state. The 2022 amendments will require a variety of actions designed to reduce the pollution these units produce, and accelerate their transition to zero-emission technologies. The new requirements include the... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Tesla Motors Inc. EPA found Clean Air Act violations at Tesla’s automobile manufacturing plant in Fremont, Calif. This settlement aligns with EPA’s National Compliance Initiative (NCI), Creating Cleaner Air for Communities by Reducing Excess Emissions of Harmful Pollutants. Under the... Read more →

An open-access editorial in the journal Nature Materials observes that the porposed new regulations for the European battery industry could actually make the electrification of transport harder. The European Union (EU) … is planning to require that all new cars sold from 2035 have zero carbon emissions—a bold and valuable... Read more →

Four major European air carriers—Air France-KLM, easyJet, Ryanair and Deutsche Post DHL Group—have joined forces with non-governmental organizations such as Transport & Environment in a “Fueling Flight Initiative” meant to help advance a key draft EU law. The legislative proposal from the European Commission would spur aviation’s take-up of renewable... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will evaluate whether emissions from piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded fuel contribute to air pollution that endangers public health and welfare. The agency plans to issue a proposal for public review and comment in 2022 and take final action in 2023. EPA has been... Read more →

On 30 December 2021, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced that emergency regulations were filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office for the immediate adoption California’s Advanced Clean Trucks regulation (earlier post), which requires an increasing percentage of ZEV truck sales starting with Model Year 2025 and... Read more →

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced the adoption of the Advanced Clean Truck and Fleet Reporting rules. The adoption of these rules establishes New Jersey as one of the first states to require phasing in of clean electric commercial trucks to replace diesel-powered trucks. The rules are... Read more →

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing the federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks for Model Years (MY) 2023 through 2026. The standards through 2026 also set the light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) program on track to provide a strong launch point for the... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board approved a smog-check regulation for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses. While these heavy-duty vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 pounds comprise only 3% of all vehicles on California roads, they are responsible for more than 50% of nitrogen oxides... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a package of actions setting biofuel volumes for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program for years 2020, 2021, and 2022, and introducing regulatory changes intended to enhance the program’s objectives. For 2022, EPA is proposing the highest total volumes yet; the proposed volumes... Read more →

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) reached a settlement agreement with American Honda Motor Corporation, Inc. (Honda) of Torrance, California for $6.9 million for violations of CARB’s air quality regulations. This is the second enforcement action against Honda in the past two years. In 2019, CARB testing revealed several small... Read more →

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission approved the Clean Trucks Rule, which adopts California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Rule and Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle Omnibus rules (HD Omnibus) for Oregon. Under the ACT Rule, Oregon requires medium- and heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers to sell zero-emission vehicles as a certain percentage of sales,... Read more →

The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) will produce cryogenically milled tire tread (CMTT) and provide samples to researchers to advance scientific study on tire and road wear particles (TRWP). In 2020, independent global emissions testing company Emissions Analytics reported that pollution from tire wear can be 1,000 times worse than... Read more →

The COP26 pledge by governments, automakers and others to sell only zero-emissions cars and vans from 2035 in leading markets and by 2040 elsewhere (earlier post) needs to be backed up with actual targets set down in law, green NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) said. With China, the US, Germany... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing comprehensive new regulations to reduce methane emissions from the oil and natural gas industry—including, for the first time, reductions from existing sources nationwide. Source: EPA Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that traps about 30 times as much heat as carbon dioxide... Read more →

The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has released a report it commissioned from Sonoma Technology, Inc. (STI) that estimates the cumulative avoided nitrogen oxides (NOx), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and well-to-wheel carbon dioxide equivalent (WTW CO2e) emission reductions beginning in 2025 if 12 states plus the District of Columbia... Read more →

The New York City Council passed a bill mandating that the city’s school bus fleet be fully electric by 1 September 2035. The bill passed with 44 votes in favor and one vote against. Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign the bill into law. The replacement of school... Read more →

Xtreme Diesel Performance (XDP), an automotive parts manufacturer and retailer based in Wall Township, New Jersey, with a sales distribution center in Las Vegas, Nevada, has agreed to stop manufacturing and selling parts for diesel pickup trucks that, when installed, bypass, defeat, or render inoperative EPA-approved emission controls and harm... Read more →

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation (A.4302/S.2758), setting a goal for all new passenger cars and trucks sold in New York State to be zero-emissions by 2035. In addition, the Governor directed the Department of Environmental Conservation to release the proposed Advanced Clean Truck regulation that would significantly reduce... Read more →

Autonomous cars will match or exceed human safety by 2024, after which they will grow rapidly at a CAGR of 30% finds IDTechEx’s new report “Autonomous Cars, Robotaxis & Sensors 2022-2042”. By the 2040s, they will be capable of fulfilling the world’s mobility needs without a single collision. So why... Read more →

California Climate Investments—a program designed to put billions of dollars to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—is funded with proceeds from the State’s Cap-and-Trade GHG emissions reduction program and is administered by the California Air Resources Board (ARB). Since 2013, the California Legislature has appropriated $15.4 billion in California Climate... Read more →

President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) that sets a goal that 50% of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel-cell-electric vehicles. The EO also directs the EPA to begin working on a rulemaking to establish new new multi-pollutant emissions standards,... Read more →

The US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it will soon propose robust new fuel economy standards. The new standards would increase fuel efficiency 8% annually for model years 2024-2026 and increase the estimated fleetwide average by 12 miles per gallon for model year 2026,... Read more →

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rulemaking for model year 2023-2026 light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emissions standards, and outlined its plans to initiate a subsequent rulemaking to set standards for MY 2027 and beyond, to speed the transition of the light-duty vehicle fleet toward a zero emissions... Read more →

Minnesota has become the latest state to adopt California clean car standards; the new standards were finalized by a notice in the state register on Monday. Original map from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The policy will implement two clean cars standards to reduce vehicle emissions. The low-emission vehicle (LEV) standard... Read more →

A study recently published by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center assesses how best to identify at the European level an additional fifth category of batteries—those used for Light Means of Transport (LMT) such as e-bikes and similar new products—which would ensure their appropriate collection and recycling. The current 2006... Read more →

Last week, the European Commission adopted a package of proposals to make the EU’s climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels (Fit for 55). (Earlier post.) One element of that economy-wide set... Read more →