The Environmental Protection Agency has denied three petitions asking the government to reconsider new emissions regulations for diesel engines.

According to the Associated Press, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Trucking Associations and Mack Trucks/Volvo Powertrain had each petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to take another look at the regulations, some of the last put into place during the Clinton Administration. The American Trucking Associations was concerned about the ability of fuel refiners to get the ultra-low-sulfur fuel in place by the deadline.
The EPA refused, saying Friday only that its decision was based on "a review of arguments" by the petitioners.
The new regulations require refiners to reduce the sulfur content of highway diesel fuel by 97 percent between 2006 and 2009. Trucks and buses starting with model-year 2007 will have to be equipped with engines that reduce emissions of particle soot by 90 percent. Nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines will have to be reduced by 95 percent by the 2010 model year.
EPA has estimated the rule will raise the price of new diesel vehicles by $1,200 to $1,900, and of diesel fuel by 4 to 5 cents a gallon.