A major environmental group has some strong words for the incoming administration regarding a potential auto emissions regulation rollback.
The Center for Biological Diversity pledged to take legal action against the government should President-elect Donald Trump make good on reported recommendations to cut off support for the electric vehicle industry.
“With the fires in Los Angeles still smoldering, trying to take away California’s clean car protections is cynical, cruel, and illegal. Our kids and everyone with lungs will pay the price for these politically motivated rollbacks of protections for our air and the climate,” Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said in a statement shared with The Independent.
“That’s why we’re fighting back to block his illegal actions. See you in court, Mr. Trump.”
Becker also stressed that such rollbacks, including canceling a waiver allowing states to set strong auto pollution standards, would result in higher prices, more pollution and weaker competitiveness.
California recently decided to abandon its regulations to phase out diesel trucks and require cleaner engines, according to CalMatters.
“Trump’s attacking the biggest single step ever taken to fight climate pollution. That’s a victory for his cronies in the oil and auto industries but may well leave his voters with buyer’s remorse,” Becker said. “Consumers will pay more at the pump, automakers will lose EV buyers and health care costs will go up from people breathing dirtier air.“
These remarks come after Reuters reported last month that the Trump transition team was recommending sweeping changes to cut support for the electric vehicle industry and to strengthen steps to block battery materials, cars and other components coming from China. Although, the Trump transition team said that the recommendations came from “outsiders who have no role in charting administration policy.”
Trump transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt reportedly told the news agency that U.S. voters had given Trump a mandate to deliver on campaign promises, including stopping federal attacks on gas-powered cars.
“When he takes office, President Trump will support the auto industry, allowing space for both gas-powered cars and electric vehicles,” Leavitt said in a statement.
On his first day, Trump could sign somewhere between 50 and 100 executive orders, Stephen Moore, who served as Trump’s senior economic adviser on the campaign, told E&E News on Friday. Moore anticipates that many will be energy-focused. Trump previously proposed to weaken fuel efficiency standards in 2018.
“President Trump won decisively with 77 million votes because the American people are tired of onerous regulations that make life more expensive for the American people,” Liz Huston, the Trump-Vance Transition spokesperson, told The Independent in an email on Friday. “Lee Zeldin will help deliver on President Trump’s vision to strengthen our economy while keeping our air and water clean.”
Lee Zeldin, the former New York congressman and Trump’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, declined to commit to rolling back an “EV mandate” earlier this week, saying he would “not prejudge outcomes” on reversing related regulations put in place by the Biden administration.
Both Zeldin and Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright, the CEO of Liberty Energy, acknowledged the existence of climate change at their confirmation hearings this week.
But, when it comes to the future on Earth, climate scientists have said that cutting emissions from the production of fossil fuels that power vehicles — and the greenhouse gases emitted from the vehicles — is crucial to delaying stronger impacts from climate change.
Fossil fuel production creates greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, that have continued to warm the atmosphere, resulting in record temperatures and its consequences: including drought, heat waves, stronger storms and more. Last year was the hottest year on record.
In addition, vehicle emissions have a more direct impact on human health. Air pollution from cars and trucks can result in increased respiratory ailments and heighten the risk of cancer and other life-threatening conditions, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
“People who live, work or attend school near major roads appear to have an increased incidence and severity of health problems associated with air pollution exposures related to roadway traffic,” the EPA notes.
