Cummins Inc. hosted a group of Environmental Protection Agency officials at an engine testing facility in Columbus as federal regulators seek input from stakeholders around the country on proposed emission regulations.
The group of EPA officials included EPA Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede; Frank Acevedo, mobile source program manager for EPA Region 5; and Josh Singer, media specialist, who met with Cummins officials on Monday before touring the Cummins Technical Center, 1900 McKinley Ave.
The purpose of the visit was to engage with Cummins on the EPA’s proposed Cleaner Truck Initiative rulemaking effort, which, among other things, seeks to set new emission standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) for highway heavy-duty engines, Thiede said.
Oxides of nitrogen are a group of air-polluting chemical compounds formed when fuel is burned at high temperatures, according to the EPA. Heavy-duty vehicles are the largest mobile source of NOx emissions in the United States, though NOx emissions declined by more than 40% from 2007 to 2017.
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"Partially, (the visit) was to make sure that there is awareness among industry partners that we’re seeking input to help inform that rule," Thiede said. "But then, beyond that, it was an opportunity for myself, from the regional leadership perspective, as well as our staff, to come see first-hand what all goes into making and testing (engines) and understanding the business side of making these engines."
The EPA officials toured the emissions measurement lab at the Cummins Technical Center, where test cells were being used to measure emissions primarily from diesel and natural gas engines, an engine preparation area, where engines are prepared for the test cells, among other areas of the Columbus facility.
Cummins is the only company Thiede said he plans to visit in EPA Region 5 regarding the initiative. EPA Region 5 includes Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The new rule is expected to be finalized in 2021 and would be the first update to NOx emission regulations for heavy-duty vehicles since 2001, Thiede said.
Earlier this month, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler issued a notice of proposed rulemaking and announced that federal environmental regulators were seeking pre-proposal input from the public and other stakeholders. Besides setting NOx emission standards, the initiative seeks to streamline regulations, improve emission testing, update laboratory test cycles for heavy-duty vehicles, among other goals, according to the EPA.
"It’s almost been 20 years exactly since we’ve had an opportunity to address NOx limits in such a comprehensive way, and I think that is something that industry and the EPA are looking forward to doing, which is taking a comprehensive look at those (NOx) levels and then working with industry to find out what’s achievable," Thiede said.
Melina Kennedy, Cummins vice president of product compliance and regulatory affairs, said Cummins has long worked with regulators to "advocate for tough and enforceable and clear regulations" and plans to submit feedback to the EPA on the proposed rules.
"Being able to show the EPA and other regulators how we innovate to improve the environment, how our equipment and investment in labs help ensure that we have the right technology to better the environment, that’s always a helpful dialogue to have with the (EPA regional) administrator. We were very happy they reached out to us, and we’re very happy to host them here today," said Kennedy, who was part of a group of Cummins officials on the tour.
In November, Cummins unveiled a new environmental sustainability strategy to combat climate change, conserve natural resources and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by mid-century.
Named "PLANET 2050," the strategy seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote the sustainable use of natural resources and help communities, Cummins officials said.
Currently, it is unclear how the Cleaner Trucks Initiative would help further those goals, Kennedy said.
"It remains to be seen what the specifics of the rules are, but we do believe we could do more to help our customers win while also improving the environment, and that could be through the Cleaner Trucks Initiative as they continue to promote lower NOx standards," she said.
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Visit epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/cleaner-trucks-initiative for more information on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Cleaner Trucks Initiative.
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Cummins Inc. has unveiled a new environmental sustainability strategy to combat climate change and conserve natural resources, including companywide targets aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century.
Named “PLANET 2050,” the strategy seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote the sustainable use of natural resources and help communities.
The strategy includes eight goals for 2030 and additional targets for 2050. The 2030 goals include reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all of the company’s facilities and operations by 50%, reducing water consumption by 30%, reducing lifetime greenhouse gas emissions from new products by 25% and reusing or recycling all packaging plastics.
The 2050 targets include carbon neutrality and near-zero pollution at Cummins facilities and operations and eliminating waste in products and processes, among other targets.
For information about Cummins’ sustainability goals, visit cummins.com/company/global-impact/sustainability.
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