No Rollbacks of Clean Vehicle Standards!
Opposing Roll Backs Of EPA’s Clean Vehicle Standards
Dear Representative:
We, representing nearly 50 organizations, strongly urge you to oppose any efforts to dismantle or roll back the Phase 3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles (clean truck standards) and the Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Light- and Medium-Duty Vehicles (clean car standards) that were recently finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This includes rejecting the Congressional Review Act Resolutions targeting the clean cars standards (H.J.Res.136 sponsored by Rep. John James and S.J.Res.75 sponsored by Sen. Pete Ricketts) and the clean truck standards (H.J.Res.133 sponsored by Rep. Russ Fulcher and S.J.Res.74 sponsored Sen. Dan Sullivan) that seek to repeal these vital regulations. These standards play a crucial role in addressing the climate crisis, improving air quality, safeguarding public health, and reducing fuel costs for drivers. These standards must remain in place as we progress toward a zero-emission future.
The transportation sector accounts for 29% of greenhouse gas emissions—more than any other sector in the US. These latest rulemakings continue EPA’s decades-long practice of using the agency’s Clean Air Act authority to set standards that successfully reduce vehicle pollution and improve public health and welfare. For this latest round of rulemakings, the EPA engaged in a years-long, multi-stakeholder, comprehensive rulemaking process that engaged industry and civil society alike.
The clean car and truck standards are performance-based and technology-neutral. Neither of these rules is an “EV Mandate” as opponents of clean cars and trucks have claimed. Automakers and truck manufacturers are not required to make or sell electric vehicles (or any particular type of vehicle) and have a lot of flexibility to choose a compliance strategy that works for them. The standards will help to increase the choices consumers and companies have when purchasing a new vehicle that meets their needs. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an association representing all major auto manufacturers in the United States, joined EPA Administrator Michael Reagan at the announcements and publicly said the standards “should give the market and supply chains a chance to catch up” to decarbonization targets.
The clean car standards have massive benefits in addressing climate change, improving public health, and saving consumers money. The rule will reduce fine particulate matter and ozone, preventing up to 2,500 premature deaths in 2055 as well as reducing heart attacks, respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, aggravated asthma, and decreased lung function. Long-term, they provide $240 billion in health benefits between 2027 and 2055. The standards will result in 7.2 billion metric tons of climate pollution reduction by 2055, the largest reduction in climate pollution by any administration in U.S. history. The number of clean/cleaner vehicles available will increase. EPA’s estimates show that the standards will result in approximately $6,000 in savings over the life of a model year 2032 vehicle. Supporting any efforts to repeal these rules will have serious implications for consumer savings and public health, especially for the millions of Americans living near high-traffic areas who are most burdened by the impacts of pollution.
Likewise, the recently finalized clean truck standards set tailpipe climate pollution limits to ensure that the next generation of American heavy-duty vehicles are more efficient and emit less climate-warming pollution. The standards, combined with EPA’s 2022 heavy-duty NOx rule, will create $22 billion in annualized net benefits through 2055 (including significant reductions in adverse health effects and premature deaths). The market is moving quickly toward more zero-emission trucks and major truck manufacturers have committed to making their trucks cleaner over the next decade, and eventually zero-emissions. The Heavy-duty Leadership Group, an alliance of some of the country’s biggest names in vehicle and engine manufacturing and supply, including BorgWarner, Cummins, Eaton, and Ford, threw their support behind the clean truck standards.
As a diverse set of environmental, public health, environmental justice, industry, and consumer protection interest organizations, we find that strong vehicle emission standards protect public health, save consumers money, and help position the United States as a clean transportation leader. Many of the organizations signed below called for even more stringent standards during the EPA rulemaking process. Now, we stand united to oppose any attempt to repeal the final rules. We strongly urge you to vote against any Congressional Review Act Resolution or any other legislative mechanism that aims to roll back EPA’s car and truck standards.
Sincerely,
Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE)
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
CALSTART
Center for Biological Diversity
Ceres
Change the Chamber*Lobby for Climate
Clean Energy for America
Climate Action Campaign
Climate Mayors
Climate Power
Coltura
Conservation Law Foundation
CURE
Dream.Org
Earthday.org
Earthjustice
Ecology Center (Michigan)
Elders Climate Action
Elected Officials to Protect America
Electric Vehicle Association
Energy Alabama
Environmental Defense Action Fund
Environmental Law & Policy Center
Environmental Protection Network
Evergreen Action
EVHybridNoire
Fresh Energy
Generation180
GreenLatinos
Health Care Without Harm
Interfaith Power & Light
League of Conservation Voters (LCV)
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
MN350
Moms Clean Air Force
National Consumer Law Center
Natural Resources Defense Council
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Plug In America
Public Citizen
Sierra Club
Southern Environmental Law Center
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
The Sunrise Project
Third Act Virginia
Union of Concerned Scientists
Voices for Progress