Action Planned for Trump’s Planned Rollback of Clean Car Standards
July 30, 2018
Action Planned for Trump’s Planned Rollback of Clean Car Standards
Consumer and Environmental Groups Will Hold Ford Accountable for Collusion With Trump Administration
Public Citizen, Sierra Club and Safe Climate Campaign are planning an immediate on-the-ground action in response to the Trump administration’s anticipated rollback of the clean car standards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are expected to undo the fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards, which would limit global warming pollution by 6 billion metric tons and have already saved consumers over $63 billion in fuel costs.
According to news reports, the agencies’ announcement will drop sometime this week. As soon as the agencies announce their plan, an advisory will be sent with more information about the action. Depending on timing, the action will take place on the day of, or the day after the announcement. This planned action is a part of the Forward Not Backward campaign.
Background:
In January 2017, the EPA concluded that America’s clean car standards were working and achievable. Yet, at the behest of Ford Motor Company and other automakers, and without any change in the facts, disgraced EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt reversed the decision in April, ignoring the thousands of hours of research and analysis that support keeping the standards. NHTSA and EPA are expected to release a notice of proposed rulemaking, rumored to freeze standards at 2020 levels and revoke the California waiver, which allows the state and 12 others to protect their citizens from harmful tailpipe pollution.
Despite having helped craft the greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy standards, automakers have pushed to roll them back since President Donald Trump’s election. Ford and other automakers have attacked the standards at every turn – recently using their trade association to publish regulatory comments to NHTSA that cast doubt on accepted climate science and the link between air pollution and adverse health impacts.