The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) voices its continued support of "clean air" and its commitment to work with the Environmental Protection Agency and others on EPA's latest round of proposed regulations to reduce off-road diesel engine emissions. However, AEM urges EPA to take into account the significant economic and technical impact the far-reaching proposed rules will place on equipment manufacturers and their customers.
Of key concern to AEM are the need for adequate lead times for product changes and the need to align proposed changes with global regulations that manufacturers must also comply with.
The EPA proposal will mandate on-highway-like technologies for off-road equipment and include applications that have not been proven feasible or cost-effective in some cases, stated AEM, which represents manufacturers of construction and agricultural-related equipment, products and services.
"AEM member manufacturers are working hard to offer equipment that utilizes the latest emission-reduction technologies, but at the end of the day the customer must find the equipment economically justifiable. If the customer does not buy the new equipment, no one meets our goal for 'clean air'," stated Darrin Drollinger, AEM vice president of Technical and Safety Programs.
EPA has regulated off-road engine emissions since 1996. Since that time there has been an estimated 93% combined reduction in nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions for some equipment types, which AEM notes is a very positive indicator that the off-road industry is serious about reducing emissions.
