The EPA Wants You to Report Rolling Coal

Have you experienced large plumes of black smoke on streets or highways, or excess exhaust emitted from a vehicle? It’s called rolling coal and it’s illegal federally. The EPA and many state and local governments want your report on smog producing vehicles including ones with deliberately modified exhaust systems. Rolling coal is prohibited by the Clean Air Act and six states have banned it outright including Maine, Utah, New Jersey, Maryland, Colorado, and Connecticut. An EPA report found that trucks that have been modified to roll coal are emitting 16 times the noxious emissions of a truck with properly functioning smog prevention devices. The EPA report states that of 550,000 diesel trucks that had been modified between 2009 and 2020, those trucks were responsible for the equivalent amount of pollution of 9 million diesel trucks with functioning catalytic converters. 

The extra nitrogen oxide and other pollutants emitted contribute to climate warming globally, acid rain, and smog locally. What should you do if you see coal rolling? If it’s safe to do so, take a video and report it. If there is any threatening driving, report that as well. Get license plate information and according to the EPA:

“Call 911, then report it to the National Response Center at: 1-800-424-8802″