US proposes new carbon limits on trucks

The Obama administration has unveiled new rules that would lower carbon dioxide emissions from medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

A truck heads eastbound on Rt 50 in Bowie, Md., Friday, June 19, 2015. The Obama administration on Friday proposed tougher mileage standards for medium and heavy-duty trucks, the latest move by President Barack Obama in his second-term drive to reduce pollution blamed for global warming.

Susan Walsh/AP/File

June 19, 2015

The Obama administration is issuing new rules intended to improve fuel efficiency for medium and heavy-duty trucks and cut pollution blamed for global warming.

The proposed standards are expected to lower carbon dioxide emissions by about 1 billion metric tons, cut fuel costs by about $170 billion and reduce oil consumption by up to 1.8 billion barrels over the lifetime of vehicles sold under the rule.

The long-expected rules were announced Friday, one day after Pope Francis issued a teaching document calling for the world to take action to slow climate change.

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Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the new rules would help the environment and the economy, as trucks use less fuel and shipping costs go down. He called the rules "good news all around."