Biden-era fuel efficiency rule faces challenge from new transportation secretary
Sean Duffy, the newly sworn-in secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, directed federal regulators to review and potentially revoke a Biden administration rule requiring cars to become two percent more fuel efficient each year.
Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.
In short:
- Duffy ordered the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to evaluate the rule and propose rescinding or replacing standards that differ from Trump-era policies.
- The move initiates a lengthy regulatory process but does not immediately overturn the existing fuel efficiency requirement.
- The rule in question is less stringent than a U.S. EPA rule limiting vehicle emissions, which could leave it as a fallback if the EPA regulation is overturned.
Key quote:
These fuel economy standards "diminish the strength of America’s auto industry and deny Americans the full range of affordable … vehicles they need.”
— Sean Duffy, U.S. transportation secretary
Why this matters:
Weaker fuel efficiency requirements mean cars and trucks will burn more gasoline, increasing both consumer costs at the pump and the amount of carbon dioxide and other health-harming pollutants released into the atmosphere. Transportation remains the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and fuel economy rules have long been a battleground for automakers, environmentalists and policymakers.
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