Following Request from Carper and Udall, EPA OIG Agrees to Broaden Investigation into Legally Questionable Loophole for High-Polluting Glider Trucks

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.), ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency Office of the Inspector General (EPA OIG) agreed to expand the scope of its project regarding the repeal of emission requirements for glider vehicles, glider engines, and glider kits in response to the senators’ request.

“We have reason to believe EPA’s decision to exempt manufacturers of the dirtiest trucks on the road from the Clean Air Act’s public health protections disregarded the health and economic effects and violated requirements of the rulemaking process,” said the lawmakers. “We have questions that we want answers to regarding industry’s involvement and legal, procedural, and technical irregularities in the proposal. We’re glad the Office of the Inspector General has agreed to get to the bottom of this and hope to receive its findings in a timely manner.”

Specifically, Senators Carper and Udall asked EPA OIG to broaden the current audit to include investigations into the discredited, industry-funded study former EPA Administrator Pruitt used to support his decision to deregulate glider vehicles; the apparent decision to rush signature and publication of the likely illegal proposal without EPA having reviewed likely health effects associated with deregulating the rule; last minute changes to the proposed rule purposefully designed to avoid legally required health and economic analyses; and the promise Mr. Pruitt made on his last day to the glider industry that it would not be required to comply with current glider rules.  Yesterday’s announcement covered portions of the Senators’ request.

A copy of the Senators request for an investigation can be found HERE.

In March, Senators Carper and Udall raised concerns over EPA’s decision to repeal air emissions standards for high-polluting glider trucks.

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