David Paul Morris is the photographer.
The EPA issued a new rule today aimed at reducing tailpipe pollution from cars and light-duty trucks, which is an effort by President Joe Biden to return to the fuel economy standards put in place by Barack Obama nearly a decade ago.
The rule would require passenger vehicles to achieve an average of 55 miles of travel per gallon of gasoline by 2026, slightly over Obama's goal of 54, but a major increase over the 38mpg rule put in place by President Donald Trump. The new standard will save car owners $420 billion in fuel costs and prevent the release of 3.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide through 2050, according to the EPA.
The EPA Administrator said that the standards are affordable and will deliver a significant pollution reduction.
The most ambitious vehicle pollution standards have ever been established.
The Biden Administration is trying to reduce air pollution in the fight against climate change. Biden signed an executive order directing the federal government to spend billions of dollars to purchase electric vehicles, upgrade federal buildings, and leverage the power of the government to shift to cleaner forms of electricity.
The administration will need to rely more heavily on executive actions to fight climate change after Senator Joe Manchin came out against Biden's proposal.
The new rule takes effect in 60 days. They are seen as a return of Obama's Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules from 2012 that required automakers to manufacture more efficient, less polluting vehicles. Donald Trump wanted to weaken the rule and allow the auto industry to make dirtier cars.
The new rule takes effect in 60 days.
The new rule was a victory for the environment and public health. Harold P. Wimmer said that climate change impacts the health of every American. The greenhouse gas standards are a step in the right direction to climate and clean air benefits.
The auto industry signaled that more will need to be done to help spur increases in electric vehicle sales, including tax breaks such as those included in the Build Back Better plan that now looks uncertain.
John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for automotive innovation, said that the final rule will require enactment of supportive governmental policies.
