Nearly 30 associations contend ‘robust’ tailpipe emission standards at risk of invalidation
The National Consumers League (NCL), the Consumer Federation of America, and 24 other public interest organizations have sent a letter to Congress urging them to oppose resolutions they say would “invalidate robust tailpipe emission standards” adopted across several states and in the District of Columbia.
The letter states the associations oppose Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions that revoke state-level authority to enforce the Advanced Clean Cars I (ACC I) and Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards – 2009 and Subsequent Model Years.
The associations and organizations are opposed to:
The resolutions cover greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles that the NCL says the auto industry has complied with since 2009, as well as smog-forming pollutant and GHG emissions limits for light-duty vehicles. NCL says the auto industry has complied with the latter since 2015 under the Advanced Clean Cars I (ACC I) program.
The resolutions also pertain to the 2022 reinstatement of the 2013 ACC I waiver and the Small Off-Road Engine (SORE) amendments, which set exhaust standards for some equipment and small engines in California, according to the NCL.
“These vehicle emission standards, adopted in full or in part by 18 states and the District of Columbia, benefit all Americans by reducing pain at the pump and easing the affordability crisis,” the letter states. “Costs are low when tailpipe emission standards are high. The fewer pollutants that may be emitted, the less gasoline must be consumed… These savings are substantial, as households spend approximately $2,800, or 3.7% of household budgets, on gasoline each year.”
It adds that clean vehicle features have had a minimal effect on vehicle prices. Equipment upgrades, such as changes in clean vehicle technologies, comfort, convenience, durability, and nonmandatory safety improvements, account for $3,040, or 13%, of the increase in average expenditures per new passenger vehicle since 2002, according to the letter.
The letter states that clean vehicle technology improvements since 2002 save owners of 2024 light trucks and SUVs $9,920 in gasoline expenditures over the vehicle’s lifecycle, or $834 in annual savings. Owners of 2024 vehicles save $9,100 in gasoline expenditures over the vehicle’s lifecycle, or $650 a year, according to the letter.
The associations also contend that clean vehicle features have had minimal effect on vehicle prices, and Americans “do not have to choose between vehicle affordability and fuel efficiency, public health, and environmental stewardship.”
“Weakening tailpipe emission standards will inflict more pain at the pump and exacerbate affordability challenges,” the letter states. “Between 2002 and 2024, household expenditures on gasoline increased by 122 percent, 48 percentage points higher than the change in price of all other goods and services combined. …More pollutants result in more avoidable illnesses and deaths, exacerbating healthcare costs.
“A cleaner fleet is a safer fleet, helping address the unacceptably high number of automobile fatalities and injuries on our nation’s roadways. Each year, our nation suffers approximately 40,000 deaths and 2.5 million injuries from traffic crashes, costing society approximately $1.4 trillion in medical bills, emergency services, lost productivity, insurance costs, workplace loss, legal costs, property damage, and other costs.”
Cosigners include:
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- Affordable Homeownership Foundation
- American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)
- America Walks
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Arizona Chapter
- American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 1
- American Academy of Pediatrics, D.C. Chapter
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Florida Chapter
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Idaho Chapter
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Maine Chapter
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Virginia Chapter
- Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota
- Center for Auto Safety
- Center for Progressive Reform
- Citizens Action Coalition
- Consumer Federation of California
- Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety
- Earth Ethics
- Kids and Car Safety
- National Center for Health Research
- National Coalition for Safer Roads
- New Jersey Citizen Action
- Vision Zero Maine
- Whirlwind Wheelchair International
Repairer Driven News asked the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators) to comment on the letter from automakers’ perspective but didn’t receive a response by the publication deadline.
Auto Innovators’ website explains that the federal government sets GHG emission standards and evaluates automakers based on the products consumers buy.
“While average fuel economy of all new vehicles continues to rise, sales of the most energy-efficient autos remain low,” Auto Innovators’ site states. “Sales of the most energy-efficient models will need to grow substantially to meet carbon reduction goals. As automakers look to the future, electric vehicles will continue to play an increasing role, and additional government policies are needed to increase customer awareness and demand, build a robust charging and hydrogen refueling station network across the nation, and continue to balance fuel-efficient and advanced technologies with customer needs.”
In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced final national pollution standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles for model years 2027-2032.
The final standards, titled “Multi Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles,” build on the existing model years 2023-2026 emissions standards for passenger cars and light trucks. EPA said in 2024 that the standards continue the technology-neutral and performance-based design of previous EPA standards for cars, pickups, and vans, and leverage advances in clean car technologies to reduce climate pollution and smog- and soot-forming emissions.
Also in 2024, the Department of Energy (DOE) shared its new rule defining EV efficiency as equivalent miles per gallon of gasoline.
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