The suit says the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicle rule isn't efficient or safe because it puts human health at risk.
“Not only does the SAFE rule fail to live up to its name, but the administration introduced it at a time when our nation's health and economy can least afford it,” said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra Wednesday.
The change reduces Obama-era rules that required automakers to increase fuel efficiency by 5% and lowers it to 1.5% for vehicle models from 2021-2026. It also requires automakers to create vehicles that reach 40 miles per gallon by 2026 instead of 54 by 2025.
“Our final rule puts in place a sensible one national program that strikes the right regulatory balance that protects our environment, and sets reasonable targets for the auto industry,” said U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler in March.
In a statement, Washington Department of Ecology Director Laura Watson said the federal government “cooked the books” in its rush to pass a rule that was “rife with flawed science, shaky math, and faulty conclusions.”
State environmental regulators say the rule undermines their ability to reach state goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks.
“This rule would mean dirtier cars and dirtier air for years to come, risking public health, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and threatening our future,” Watson said. “We hope the courts will force federal agencies to rule back this toxic rule.”
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said the new rule stops the progress that the federal Clean Car Standards have been making since 2010.
“This is yet another example of the federal government protecting big oil and big polluters over the wishes of states like Oregon that prioritize protecting our environment,” Rosenblum said. “By eliminating the Clean Car Standards, the federal government is turning back years of hard work meant to reduce carbon emissions and save families money.”
After the new rule was finalized in April, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Director Richard Whitman criticized the Trump administration for making such a controversial move during the coronavirus pandemic and noted many car manufacturers were fine with the existing fuel efficiency standards.
He said the new standards will lead to new vehicles being 20% less efficient by 2025 with higher emissions that contribute to climate change and other air quality problems such as ozone.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said federal officials considered hundreds of thousands of public comments on the new rule before finalizing it with the goal of striking a balance between protecting the environment with reasonable targets for the auto industry and supporting the economy.
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