Judicial Watch: Stein, Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Dirty Diesel Rule
Last week, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein joined with the attorneys general of 15 other states and the District of Columbia to challenge the EPA’s attempt to re-open the “dirty truck loophole.” National environmental groups sued over the same issue earlier in the week.
In one of his last official actions, disgraced former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had overturned a 2016 EPA rule known as the “glider rule.” That rule requires refurbished old diesel truck engines installed in new truck bodies (“glider kit” trucks) to meet the same tougher emissions standards now required of new diesel engines.
The parties now challenging Pruitt’s action suspending the glider rule first asked new Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to withdraw the change. When he declined, they sued.
“The dirty truck loophole pollutes our air, damages our environment, and puts North Carolina companies who play by the rules with their cleaner truck engines at a disadvantage,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I will continue to fight for the Glider Rule to be fully reinstated.” Without the glider rule, Stein says, thousands of additional trucks will be sold that appear new, but pollute 20 to 40 times more than trucks with current engines.
Two days earlier, three national environmental groups sued the EPA over the same matter. In its news release, the Center for Biological Diversity pointed to an EPA study which estimated that unlimited “glider kit” trucks could cause up to 1,600 early deaths due to increased pollution.
