March 27, 2020
CHICAGO — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Final Rule rolling back the 2012 Clean Car Standards replaces a program that was working well to reduce pollution, save fuel costs, and modernize the automotive industry — for no good reason. The Trump Administration even acknowledges that its flawed rollback, expected to be released early next week, will result in job losses at the very time that unemployment is soaring.
“The Trump Administration’s misguided decision to undermine the sensible federal Clean Car Standards would be wrong-headed in the best of times, but this rollback is especially irresponsible now during a national public health emergency with the economy falling,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Midwest-based Environmental Law & Policy Center. “ELPC intends to challenge the Trump Administration’s legally-flawed Clean Car Standards roll back in federal court.
“President Trump’s misguided weakened standards will cost Midwest jobs at the very time that unemployment is soaring, and people and our economy are suffering. The Trump administration’s own calculations found that its rollback would reduce automotive jobs.
“President Trump’s flawed rollback needlessly puts a cleaner environment and our children’s future in the backseat. This rollback is wrong on timing and wrong on the substance.
“Even after the current crisis passes, rolling back the Clean Car Standards will put U.S. automakers behind in the global competition for cleaner, fuel-efficient cars. The U.S. EPA and DOT standards issued in 2012 were working to drive technological innovation, ensure that America’s new cars and trucks would use less oil, and emit less carbon pollution.”