The Environmental Protection Agency ordered new emissions standards Tuesday for heavy-duty trucks starting with the 2027 model year.
The new standards, the first new rules for that vehicle category in more than 20 years, are more than 80% stricter than previous rules.
The standards limit nitrogen oxide emissions from new heavy trucks to 35 milligrams per horsepower hour, from the current 200 milligrams.
Any vehicle that weighs at least 26,001 pounds is considered heavy-duty. The emissions standards aim to reduce nitrogen oxide pollution, smog and soot.
“EPA is taking significant action to protect public health, especially the health of 72 million people living near truck freight routes in America … This is just the first action under EPA’s Clean Trucks Plan to pave the way toward a zero-emission future,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in an agency statement.