Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/71813
logbook Court rejects EPA's Navistar exemption A federal appeals court on June 12 rejected the Environment Protection Agency's ruling that allowed Navistar to sell heavy-duty diesel engines that don't meet the agency's 2010 emissions standards limiting the amount of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in diesel exhaust. Navistar says it disagrees with the ruling and will ask for a rehearing. An interim final rule (IFR) issued in January allowed Navistar to pay fines and continue to sell the noncompliant engines. Mack Trucks and Volvo Group North America then sued EPA over the IFR, arguing, among other things, that the agency had failed to give adequate notice and opportunity for comment. The three-judge U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia on June 12 agreed, ruling that EPA didn't meet any of the statutory criteria for issuing a "good cause" exception. The court said Navistar's current financial situation wasn't a proper justification for the EPA to issue the rule without following normal administrative procedures. "The rule does not stave off any imminent threat to the environment or safety or national security," Judge Janice Rogers Brown wrote for the court. "It does not remedy any real emergency at all, save the 'emergency' facing Navistar's bottom line." The ruling is at least a temporary win for Navistar's competitors in the diesel engine market, all of which chose to use selective catalytic reduction technology (SCR) to achieve EPA's NOx requirements. Navistar has been able to use banked emissions credits in order to comply with the regulations. As Judge Brown put it, however, "Navistar's day of reckoning is fast approaching: its supply of credits is dwindling and its engines remain noncompliant." EPA issued the IFR after Navistar informed the agency in October 2011 that it might have as few as three or four months of available credits remaining. EPA's rule allowed Navistar to continue to sell 2012 and 2013 EGR engines in the United States while paying a noncompliance fine of $1,919 per engine. "Navistar will work with EPA to fully understand the ruling and its impact on the use of NCPs [non- compliant penalties] until a final rule is implemented," the company said in a written statement. "Navistar continues to make and ship engines and our customers will continue to receive the products they ordered with EPA certified engines." The future of Navistar's heavy-duty engines, such as this MaxxForce 13, is in question, though the company says it plans to continue selling them. — Staff reports Expanded Overdrive coming in August Beginning in August, Randall-Reilly's Overdrive will join forces with its sister publications Truckers News and Custom Rigs to deliver more tricked-out trucks, equipment how-to articles and health and entertainment content than ever before. The newly combined and completely redesigned magazine and website will carry the 50-year- old Overdrive name while continuing to deliver the 16 OVERDRIVE JULY 2012 news and business features owner-operators have come to depend on. "Readers of Overdrive, Truckers News and Custom Rigs will continue to receive the same great content each month, all under one comprehensive brand," says Max Heine, Overdrive editorial director. Truckers who have picked up Truckers News and Custom Rigs in truck stops around the country will instead be able to pick up the new Overdrive. Owner-operators who have Overdrive delivered to their homes will see no change in their subscription. A key component of the new Overdrive will be a completely redesigned website, OverdriveOnline. com, that will extend Overdrive's content to a much broader audience than is possible through the print magazine. The website will make it easier for readers to comment on stories using fully integrated social media functions and to share their own photos from the road. Photo slide shows and videos will expand options for how readers receive their information. Part of the new Overdrive will be a multifunction app available for iPhone and Android. It will include a complete truck stop guide, routing and fuel optimization, loads and other features. — Staff reports