WASHINGTON (August 2, 2018)—The Trump administration has released another clean vehicles proposal that would as a result freeze any progress on fuel economy. Furthermore and emissions from new vehicles after 2020. The proposal would weaken existing vehicle greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards. Similarly will deny California’s ability to set its own vehicle standards. All according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
Below is a statement by Ken Kimmell, president of UCS.
“This proposal is completely unacceptable. It’s an attack on the climate, consumers, state governments and the future viability of America’s auto industry. The Trump administration has decided to force America’s drivers to spend more at the gas pump. Likewise, burn millions more barrels of oil. Also and put us on a path to greater harm from climate change.
“The administration’s proposal goes beyond a simple rollback. This is a demolition, and there’s no scientific or technological justification for it. In the past six years, automakers have built cleaner, more efficient vehicles in every class. Likewise, consumers have saved over $60 billion at the pump. All the while automakers have enjoyed strong auto sales and advanced technological innovation. Under this proposal, that progress comes to a screeching halt. In fact, we could wind up worse off in 2025 than we are today. So expect making American auto manufacturing less competitive in the global market. Just as other countries vault ahead of us on innovation.
“If this rollback proceeds as the administration suggests, our analysis shows that in 2030 alone we’d burn an extra 250 million barrels of oil, at a cost of $36 billion to America’s drivers. That would add up to $1,700 over the lifetime of the car for the average driver. This would cut half of the benefits from the post-2016 standards. In 2030 alone, we’ll see an extra 120 million metric tons of carbon emissions—the equivalent of running 30 coal-fired power plants for a year. There’s simply no reason to impose those extra costs on our wallets. Similarly and our air.
“What’s more, to impose their vision on the country, the Trump administration has launched an unprecedented attack on state authority under the Clean Air Act. They intend to revoke the right of California, and the 13 other states that adopt California standards, to set a higher bar for their own constituents. This makes a mockery of the administration’s rhetoric about states’ authority and demonstrates disregard for well-settled law.
“Automakers bear a lot of the responsibility for the chaos that they’re about to experience. They asked the administration to re-open the standards, and their trade groups lobbied behind the scenes to weaken them, arming this administration with shoddy studies to support their case. If they were hoping for small changes to the standards, they clearly underestimated this administration’s feverish commitment to gutting rules which protect the public. If automakers want credit for caring about sustainability and climate change, they need to publicly demand that the administration reverse course.
“Scientists, consumer advocates, and public interest groups across the country will not accept this proposal. It’s yet another swing of the wrecking ball, and we will throw everything we’ve got into the fight to stop it.”
In conclusion and for more information about how consequentially this rollback would increase greenhouse gas emissions. Likewise increase gasoline usage; causing consumers to spend more at the pump. Finally, read this blog by Dave Cooke, senior vehicles analyst in the Clean Vehicles Program at UCS.
Furthemore and for more information on how rolling back vehicle standards would cut jobs and would hurt the economy. So please read this blog by Don Anair, research and deputy director for the Clean Vehicles Program at UCS.
Statement by Ken Kimmell, President, Union of Concerned Scientists
Source: The Union of Concerned Scientists www.ucsusa.org.
