Filed under: Energy, Global Warming, Junk Science, Regulation | Tags: Big Rig Trucks, Emissions, EPA, Gina McCarthy
The EPA is rolling out new emissions regulations for big rig trucks to help the United States to meet its goal of reducing CO² to fight global warming. The EPA, with its usual hubris, claims limiting carbon dioxide emissions from heavy trucks will reduce CO² by more than one billion metric tons by 2050. Reducing carbon will create up to $34 billion in “climate benefits” along with up to $40 billion from reducing traditional pollutants. Regulating heavy trucks is part of Obama’s goal of reducing CO² emissions by 80 percent. (Typical EPA — what are “climate benefits?” And the $34 billion is probably made up. At least she left out the Asthma excuse)
Another case of overblown claims and bad math. The EPA’s own analysis found that by 2100 “the global mean temperature is projected to be reduced by approximately 0.0026° to 0.0065°. Unfortunately, we have found that projecting what the weather will be by next weekend is only occasionally correct, and projecting it out 85 years is pure fantasy. Prognosticators have tried to project our knowledge about climate, the stock market, inflation, housing costs, and the state of the world into the future, but that is territory for charlatans and carnival brokers. We simply don’t know what tomorrow will bring, and the world is full of surprises.
“We’re delivering big time on President Obama’s call to cut carbon pollution,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “With emission reductions weighing in at 1 billion tons, this proposal will save consumers, businesses and truck owners money; and at the same time spur technology innovation and job-growth, while protecting Americans’ health and our environment over the long haul.”
The rule is coupled with increased fuel economy standards from the Transportation Department which are expected to save vehicle owners $170 billion, along billions more in savings for families and businesses from cheaper transportation in the coming decades.
The Obama administration’s plan calls for an 80 percent reduction in CO² output by 2100. Would an 80 percent reduction have a big impact? Well. no, not much. The EPA’s own analysis found that by 2100 “the global mean temperature is projected to be reduced by approximately 0.0026º C. If the climate keeps cooling, all bets are off.
(I had duplicated the same paragraph here— brain freeze, now fixed)
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American Elephants 
“…this proposal will save consumers, businesses and truck owners money…”
How? Let’s see some numbers here, Gina.
“… and at the same time spur technology innovation and job-growth…”
Wouldn’t it be nice if technology innovation worked on demand that way? And let’s not overlook Obama’s somewhat less than stunning record on jobs.
“… while protecting Americans’ health and our environment over the long haul.”
Once again, some evidence in your favor would help.
Gina McCarthy is an embarrassment to sycophantic bureaucrats even for the Obama administration.
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Comment by Lon Mead June 22, 2015 @ 12:52 amHmm-mm. I may have to assemble the speeches of Gina McCarthy. I have written about her a lot, usually with quotations of similar brilliance.
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Comment by The Elephant's Child June 22, 2015 @ 1:50 amThing is, all of these ideas for the trucking industry (and the equally stupid ones they are considering for the airline industry) are coming from people whose only experience with tractor-trailers is watching one go by. Believe it or not, I know someone who works for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (the people in charge of truck regulations on the federal level) who has no idea what a “Jake Brake” is and how it works (It’s a compression release brake for diesel engines that helps them to slow down – it’s what causes that loud “burp” sound you hear sometimes from truck; the name comes from Jacobs Vehicle Systems, which developed and manufactures it). He has no idea why tractors leave their engines running at truck stops in cold weather. Guess what part of his job is? Helping develop noise regulations for tractor-trailers.
Is this some kind of fun place or what?
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Comment by Lon Mead June 22, 2015 @ 2:31 am