Zeldin: EPA removes diesel exhaust fluid requirement

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin has announced that EPA has removed the requirement that diesel equipment contain Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sensor equipment.

EPA announced the new guidance on Friday and Zeldin was scheduled to travel to Rocky Mount, N.C., today to host a press conference highlighting the Trump administration action.

The EPA statement cited “another decisive action” Zeldin has taken “to address nationwide concerns from farmers, truckers, motor coach operators, and other diesel equipment operators regarding Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system failures by removing the DEF sensor requirement for all diesel equipment.”

“EPA understands that sudden speed losses and shutdowns caused by DEF system failures that compromise safety and productivity are unacceptable and problematic,” the announcement said.

“While EPA continues to pursue all legal avenues to address Americans’ complaints, today the agency is implementing another part of Administrator Zeldin’s plan to help keep American operators from losing days in the field or on the road because of faulty DEF systems. EPA’s new guidance, which removes DEF sensors, will provide immediate relief and save billions of dollars in repairs and lost productivity. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), this guidance will save farmers $4.4 billion a year and this action will provide $13.79 billion a year of savings to Americans.”

“Failing DEF systems are not an east coast or west coast or heartland issue; it is a nationwide disaster,” Zeldin said in the news release.

“I have heard from truck drivers, farmers, and many others complaining about DEF and pleading for a fix in all 50 states I visited during my first year as EPA administrator,” Zeldin said.

“Americans are justified in being fed up with failing DEF system issues. EPA understands this is a massive issue and has been doing everything in our statutory power to address this. Today, we take another step in furthering our work by removing DEF sensors. Farmers and truckers should not be losing billions of dollars because of repair costs or days lost on the job.”

-The Hagstrom Report