The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced that diesel engine manufacturers are on target to introduce new cleaner burning engines in 2007.

EPA met with more than 20 manufacturers the last 18 months to review progress in introducing cleaner burning engines to meet heavy-duty diesel emission regulations that go into effect in 2007. The report – Highway Diesel Progress Review, Report 2 – is available at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel.htm.

The review indicates that in 2007, engines will be equipped with filters that reduce particulate matter emission by more than 90 percent. Manufacturers will begin testing prototype engines that will run on diesel fuel containing 15 parts-per-million of sulfur, which will reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 50 percent and particulate matter by 90 percent.

"EPA's clean diesel standards are an important reason Americans can expect air quality to continue to improve in the years ahead," said EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Jeff Holmstead.

A statement by EPA said that once the 2007 program is fully implemented, 2.6 million tons of smog-causing nitrogen oxide emissions will be reduced each year. Soot or particulate matter will be reduced by 110,000 tons a year.