States geared up to fight president’s plan to roll back Obama’s car fuel efficiency laws

NINETEEN US states have announced plans to sue the Trump administration over its “reckless and illegal plan” to roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency laws on cars and trucks.

The US government yesterday proposed weakening the fuel efficiency requirements, also undercutting California’s authority to set its own stricter emissions rules for the state. Signalling what is likely to be the start of a protracted legal battle, some 19 states and Washington DC have announced they intend to sue the administration.

“We are prepared to go to court to put the brakes on this reckless and illegal plan,” said Maura Healey, Massachusetts attorney general, who is leading the multi-state lawsuit.

The state coalition includes every attorney general from jurisdictions that have adopted California’s more stringent vehicle-emissions standards.

Barack Obama argued that requiring vehicles to be more efficient would improve public health, reduce climate change and save motorists money.

Yesterday, the Transportation Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), argued the tough standards “are no longer appropriate and reasonable” beyond 2020. The proposals would freeze fuel efficiency standards at 2020 levels until 2026, and require fewer electric vehicles.

The Trump administration has argued the freeze will lower vehicle prices for consumers, but critics say it will cost consumers more at the pump and accelerate climate change.

The government estimates the policy will boost US oil consumption by about 500,000 barrels of oil a day by the 2030s. Officials also said it would prevent up to 1,000 traffic fatalities per year by reducing the price of new vehicles and so prompting people to buy newer, safer vehicles more quickly.

But according to Ms Healey, the expected rollback by the EPA would cost Americans as much as $236 billion (£181 million) on petrol, and add the carbon emissions equivalent of 400 million cars. It would also put more lives at risk due to asthma-inducing emissions, she said.

Jerry Brown, California’s governor, said: “California will fight this stupidity in every conceivable way possible. [It] is a betrayal and an assault on the health of Americans everywhere. Under this reckless scheme, motorists will pay more at the pump, get worse gas mileage and breathe dirtier air.”