NHTSA Urged to Preserve Gas Economic system Requirements

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — A coalition of well being, shopper and environmental teams advised the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) that its plan to intestine fuel-economy requirements for automobiles, SUVs, and pickup vans is irrevocably flawed and needs to be withdrawn.  

Feedback submitted at the moment from NRDC (Pure Sources Protection Council), the Sierra Membership, Environmental Protection Fund, Heart for Organic Variety, Public Citizen, Conservation Regulation Basis, and the Environmental Regulation & Coverage Heart laid out the authorized and technical flaws with NHTSA’s plan and defined why gutting fuel-economy requirements could be dangerous for Individuals’ wallets and well being. 

The proposal would weaken current Company Common Gas Economic system (CAFE) requirements by reducing the anticipated fleetwide common to simply 34.5 miles per gallon by 2031, which is beneath what the car fleet has already achieved. NHTSA predicts that its proposal would pressure the common driver to pay $1,400 extra in gas prices over the lifetime of their car, with the extra gas prices outweighing the claimed financial savings in upfront car buy costs by lots of of {dollars}. This motion wouldn’t solely make automobiles much less reasonably priced for the common American, however additionally drive the nation backwards by making car fleets much less environment friendly.  

NHTSA’s proposed requirements, “would damage American households by forcing them to spend more cash on the gasoline pump and by worsening air air pollution throughout the nation,” the teams say of their feedback. 

QUOTES: 

“This rollback goes a lot additional than even what was tried within the first Trump administration,” mentioned Kathy Harris, director of the clear autos program at NRDC. “If this rule will get finalized, it’s going to ship a harsh blow to American households struggling to maintain up with rising costs. It could increase drivers’ prices on the pump whereas worsening air air pollution throughout the nation.” 

“Every part about this proposal threatens the well-being of Individuals,” mentioned Sierra Membership Senior Legal professional Josh Berman. “Households are already grappling with rising heating payments, medical bills, and grocery costs — and with this proposal, our automobiles will turn out to be much less environment friendly and costlier to drive. To make issues worse, much less environment friendly automobiles will enhance air air pollution, worsening our air high quality and multiplying our well being care prices. We urge the Division of Transportation to go away these common sense gas economic system requirements alone.”  

“The Trump administration is rewarding oil firms and punishing customers with their weak requirements,” mentioned David Pettit, an lawyer on the Heart for Organic Variety’s Local weather Regulation Institute. “Following the legislation would save folks cash and clear the air we breathe. That’s not a heavy raise with at the moment’s know-how. However the Trump administration is selecting to place company earnings for its massive marketing campaign donors first. Drivers can pay the worth to make use of extra gasoline and pollute extra, whereas Large Oil earnings.”  

“Gas economic system requirements needs to be designed to ship gas environment friendly automobiles, saving customers cash and decreasing poisonous air pollution that harms public well being,” mentioned Adina Rosenbaum, an lawyer at Public Citizen Litigation Group. “The Trump administration’s proposal is dangerous for customers and rolls again a long time of progress towards cleaner automobiles and cleaner air.” 

“Weakening the CAFE requirements will add extra air pollution to the air we breathe, put us all at higher threat for severe well being issues, and saddle American households with larger gasoline payments for years to return,” mentioned Andy Su, lawyer, Environmental Protection Fund. “Nobody in America is hoping to spend extra on the gasoline pump. Folks need automobiles which can be secure and get monetary savings – and this proposal drives us within the improper course.”  

Feedback are due at the moment on the proposed rule. 

In regards to the Sierra Membership

The Sierra Membership is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental group, with thousands and thousands of members and supporters. Along with defending each particular person’s proper to get outside and entry the therapeutic energy of nature, the Sierra Membership works to advertise clear vitality, safeguard the well being of our communities, defend wildlife, and protect our remaining wild locations via grassroots activism, public training, lobbying, and authorized motion. For extra data, go to www.sierraclub.org.