The Biden administration on Wednesday announced new rules on emissions that could reshape the U.S. transportation industry. The rule calls for a 56% reduction in fleet-wide average carbon emissions by 2032, the toughest-ever limit on pollution from cars and light trucks nationwide.
“Today, we are setting new pollution standards for cars and trucks,” Joe Biden said in a statement. “American workers will lead the world in producing clean cars and trucks, and every car and truck will bear the stamp of ‘Made in the USA.’ I guarantee you that.
The new standards are part of the White House’s efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation is the largest source of planet-warming emissions in the United States, with passenger cars and trucks responsible for most of the pollution.
Senior government officials told reporters on Tuesday that by the time the rule is fully implemented in 2055, it will reduce cumulative carbon dioxide emissions by more than 7 billion tons. They said the plan would also tackle toxic pollution, cutting emissions of fine aerosols by 95% and emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds by 75%.
But the regulatory measure has been weakened since it was first proposed last spring.
The final rule will achieve the same endpoint—average carbon emissions across the entire fleet will be 56% lower by 2032 than in 2026 levels—but the annual tightening of pollution standards between 2027 and 2030 will be at a more gradual pace conduct.
The change complies with requests from automakers and the United Auto Workers union. The UAW has long noted that electric vehicle jobs tend to pay less than traditional autoworker jobs, and last year said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should revise its standards and make them more stringent “more gradually” to ensure they don’t “have negative consequences for the country.” Proportional influence”. United Automotive Production”.
“For something this big and transformative, the right pace … allows us to There is an opportunity to secure the manufacturing and industrial base needed for long-term success.”
But critics say slower production cuts will allow automakers to continue selling fossil-fuel vehicles longer and create more cumulative pollution.
“This rule may have been the biggest step any country has taken on climate, but the EPA caved to pressure from Big Car, Big Oil and auto dealers and left enough of the program to let the Ford F150 pass loopholes,” said. Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transportation Campaign at the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental advocacy group.
The rule is expected to boost electric vehicle sales nationwide but does not mandate the sale of any type of vehicle. Last spring, the EPA projected that electric vehicles would need to account for about two-thirds of car and light truck sales by 2032, up from less than one-tenth in 2023, to meet emissions reduction targets.
Unlike the 2023 proposal, which did not mention plug-in hybrids, the EPA’s final rule says that if by 2032, 56% of cars sold are pure electric vehicles and 13% are plug-in hybrids , manufacturers can achieve the same emission reduction targets. The move comes after criticism from the automaker of previous oversights.
The EPA said the rule would save the country $99 billion annually, including $46 billion in reduced fuel costs and nearly $16 billion in vehicle repair and maintenance costs. The regulation is expected to prevent 2,500 premature deaths by 2055 due to reduced pollution.
Some environmental groups welcomed the new restrictions.
“Every day, millions of Americans bear the weight of vehicle pollution, unsustainable gas prices, and the climate crisis—all caused by emissions from gas-powered vehicles in our communities,” said Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club. “Today, President Biden is proposing standards with benefits that go far beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions and are one of the most important actions his administration can take on climate change.”
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Jealous said the new standards would “save families lives and money.”
Republicans have launched plans to enact new regulations. According to E&E News, two Republican lawmakers are preparing a resolution to repeal the rule. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump said he would repeal Biden’s “crazy electric vehicle mandate” on his first day in office.
Electric vehicle sales are accelerating. Last year, that number was up 54% from 2022 and 46% from 2021, according to Wards Auto Data.
“From plug-in hybrids to fuel cells to all-electric vehicles, drivers have more choices today,” Ali Zaidi, Biden’s national climate adviser, said in an emailed statement. “This growth means It also means we are tackling the climate crisis faster and faster.”
Supporters say the rule would benefit communities of color because they are more likely to breathe pollution from roads and highways.
Asada Rashidi, an environmental justice organizer with the Southern District Environmental Alliance and a member of the National Environmental Youth Advisory Council, told the conference: “There is no question that there is more work to be done to improve our environment, but today “Marks a positive step forward in protecting communities like mine,” the EPA said in a news release Wednesday.
Regan said the rule “marks a historic victory for public health, the environment and our country’s future.”
