EPA Sets Penalties for Diesel-Engine Rule

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a penalty of up to $12,210 on manufacturers of heavy-duty truck diesel engines that don't meet with the Oct. 1 deadline to reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions. The new standards were set as a result of a 1998 settlement of an EPA lawsuit against the engine manufacturers. The penalties would cost at least $3,647 per engine, according to EPA spokeswoman Cathy Milbourn. More than 300 trucking executives have appealed to the White House, voicing concerns that the new engines haven't been proven reliable for day-to-day operations and that they haven't been given sufficient time to test the new engines. The White House has rejected a request for a delay of implementation by House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL).