Oil companies have also questioned the new rule, fearing that they will not be able to economically produce enough low sulfur fuel to keep pace with demand. Red Cavaney, president of the American Petroleum Institute, said that the EPA's rule could create supply and demand imbalances. Diesel fuel is used in millions of trucks that transport the majority of the nation's goods. Cavaney emphasized that the American Petroleum Institute is committed to reducing the sulfur content in diesel fuel, which he acknowledged would better protect public health and the environment. However, the group maintains that a smaller sulfur reduction would have sufficiently addressed those concerns.
Cost is also a factor for the oil industry.
The EPA estimates that the new regulations will increase the price of diesel fuel by four to five cents a gallon. The oil industry has argued that the costs will run much higher - as much as 15 cents per gallon. Browner dismissed fears that the new regulations will lead to diesel fuel supply shortages, as some in the industry have warned. The announcement of the final diesel rule was applauded by a host of environmental and public health groups, including the American Lung Association, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Clean Air Trust, and the Union of Concerned Scientists. Dirty diesel trucks and buses will be history.