The Trump administration and California have been fighting over California wanting to keep the right to set its fuel economy and emission standards. The White House and most automakers want to push towards one a national set of standards for vehicles. California had signed an agreement with Ford, Honda, VW, and BMW that ties the automakers to its emissions and fuel economy rules despite the White House working towards its own rules.
Ford’s decision left it facing an antitrust investigation over its part in the agreement. The EPA has now announced a “One National Program Rule” that sets the stage for the federal government to set national uniform standards for fuel economy and emissions for cars and light-duty trucks. The One National Program rule would move to block California’s current requirements.
The EPA One National Program Rule aims to prohibit states from imposing their own stricter standards, as California has done for years. The Trump administration says that the new national standard would help to make new vehicles less expensive, safer, and cleaner than the older vehicles millions of Americans drive today.
Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao says that the action meets President Trump’s commitment to establishing uniform fuel economy standards. Chao also said that the new One National Program Rule says that no state has the authority to opt-out of the nation’s rules and impose its policies on the rest of the country.
The new rules will undoubtedly result in a protracted and nasty legal fight between the federal government and California. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has already said that the state will fight the new rule in federal court. EPA General Counsel Matt Leopold says that the EPA is ready to defend its interpretation of the waiver withdrawal and that he is confident the administration would succeed in court.
Comments
Economy standards are not a Federal “right”, but a regulation that affects human rights for cleaner air, so any State can establish a more rigorous standard as it seems fit for its needs. No federal regulation can over ride that State needs. Let each State follow the federal standard or go above it as Ford and many well planned manufacturers will get better sales if they follow the State. The competition for higher MPG sells cars more than whatever this idiotic POTUS can say, since more MPG means less gasoline and less oil money for his campaign donations.
When was the last time MPG really sold cars? I say it was during the second gas crises during the 1970’s.
Today’s engines are incredibly efficient even compared to 10-15 years ago but what is more import is emission standards, not MPG rating. Better emissions (less emissions out the tail pipe) will push the mileage rating up all by itself. I agree that there needs to be one standard. Meeting two standards for production only raises cost for everyone. We have a national energy policy that eliminated the incandescent light bulb, why not for auto emissions?