by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday the Environmental Protection Agency reversed the agency’s previous decision to increase federal fuel efficiency requirements, known as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The efficiency standards would have required cars to reduce polluting emissions for model years 2022-2025. These standards were adopted in 2012, after intensive analysis and with support of automakers. Existing standards have led to transportation innovation and accelerated the progress of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said the 2012 standards were not appropriate and he especially wants to rein-in California's even stricter emission standards.
The Conservation Law Foundation, Vermont Conservation Voters, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, Vermont Natural Resources Council, VPIRG issued their own press release Tuesday in response to the EPA's announcement.
“Collectively, Vermonters have saved $80 million to date from strong fuel economy and pollution emissions standards. Although this rollback is not surprising, considering the Trump administration’s disdain for science and facts, it comes at a high price for public health and people’s pocketbooks,” said VNRC’s Energy & Climate Program Director Johanna Miller said in a press release Tuesday. “If these provisions are weakened, it would cost the average Vermont household almost $2,500 over the next decade.”
“It's unconscionable that the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, backed by the President of the United States, is proposing to weaken the CAFE standards. This rollback will impact air quality, undo public health efforts and cause citizens to spend more money to run their vehicles,” said State Representative Mollie Burke (P-Brattleboro), a member of the House Transportation Committee. “It’s a big win for the oil companies and auto manufacturers and a loss for the health of citizens and the planet.”
Completing a “mid-term review” in January 2017, the EPA concluded that these standards should remain in place, because they are working and achievable. The facts have not changed since the standards were instituted in 2012.
The reversal, led by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, ignores science, and does not appear to have been subjected to rigorous analysis, the Vermont organizations stated. It also disregards the value that 13 states—including Vermont—have achieved by adopting their own, more stringent clean car standards.
With the decision, the Administration is turning its back on innovation and progress toward zero emission vehicles, they said.
“The Obama Administration's determination was wrong,” said EPA Administrator Pruitt in his press release Monday. “Obama’s EPA cut the Midterm Evaluation process short with politically charged expediency, made assumptions about the standards that didn’t comport with reality, and set the standards too high.”
Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), EPA sets national standards for vehicle tailpipe emissions of certain pollutants. Through a CAA waiver granted by EPA, California can impose stricter standards for vehicle emissions of certain pollutants than federal requirements. The California waiver is still being reexamined by EPA.
“Cooperative federalism doesn’t mean that one state can dictate standards for the rest of the country. EPA will set a national standard for greenhouse gas emissions that allows auto manufacturers to make cars that people both want and can afford — while still expanding environmental and safety benefits of newer cars. It is in America's best interest to have a national standard, and we look forward to partnering with all states, including California, as we work to finalize that standard,” said Pruitt.
The California standard is important to both sides because California registers by far the most cars of any state. It would not be economical for auto manufacturers to have two, or more, emission standards. Therefore, they would be forced to build verhicles to the California standard regardless of the US standard.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, there were 129.4 million private automobile registrations in 2010 in the US. Of those California accounted for 17.8 million, or 13.8 percent of the national total. Texas was second highest at 8.2 million, or less than half of California's. Vermont had 290,000, ahead of only Alaska (226,000) and Wyoming (203,000).
Combined, the states that have moved forward with stronger fuel emissions standards represent 113 million Americans; more than one-third of the auto market. California – the world’s sixth largest economy – has led the way in strengthening pollution controls for cars. In recent years, the national standards were consistent with California’s strong standards. This proposed rollback takes aim at California’s authority – as well as the authority of Vermont and other states – to ratchet down pollution from cars and move towards zero emission vehicles, the Vermont organizations maintain.
This change would come at a significant climate change-combating cost as well, they said. Curbing the standards would be a huge blow to Vermont’s greenhouse gas reduction efforts. The standards eliminate transportation emissions equivalent to those from providing electricity to all of Vermont.
“This decision makes no sense economically or environmentally. Vermonters stand to benefit from fuel efficient vehicles, electric vehicles and accessible, clean public transportation,” said Sarah Wolfe, Clean Energy Advocate for VPIRG. “In the face of federal backsliding, Vermont’s leaders need to fight back and move forward on bold policy solutions to protect Vermont’s economy and climate.”
“This roll-back in clean car standards will cost Vermonters more money at the pump and drastically impact one of our most important means of reducing greenhouse gases,” said Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur, VEIC’s Director of Transportation Efficiency. “We look forward to supporting our state partners as we work together to ensure our continued progress toward more affordable, efficient, and clean transportation.”
Find more information at a Vermont-specific level, see this fact sheet put together by the Union of Concerned Scientists here or https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/images/reports/vehicles/cv-factsheet-mpg-benefits-vermont.pdf.
Source: VNRC 4.3.2018