Lawmakers support automakers on gas rules
Industry needs more time to respond to July report on fuel economy
Three members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are urging government regulators to give automakers more time to respond to a report that will help to shape fuel economy and greenhouse gas regulations over the next 10 years.
Automakers are arguing to modify, delay or extend the current corporate average fuel economy standards that become increasingly more difficult to meet from 2022 through 2025 and want more time to comment on a report issued by the government in July.
But both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a July report the industry has become adept at developing new, more fuel-efficient technology and is able to meet the standards that were put in place in 2012. Both automakers and the government agreed in 2012 to review those standards and consider changes in a process that began this year.
The agencies gave the industry 60 days to respond to an exhaustive report that kicked off that midterm review. Republican members of the committee said the industry should have an additional 60 days to respond.
“The draft (technical assessment report) exceeds 1,000 pages in length, contains extensive technical information, and references a large number of supporting documents,” Republicans said in the letter sent to the agencies. It was signed by three committee members: Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich.; Ed Whitfield, R-Ky.; and Michael Burgess, R-Texas. Frank Pallone, the ranking Democratic member of the committee, did not immediately respond to an email about the issue.
The request comes one week after the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers made a similar request for an extension that was quickly rejected by government regulators. Monday, both NHTSA and the EPA said they will review the request for an extension from the congressmen and respond.
Industry groups that represent automakers say regulators have set standards that must be met by 2025 far too high and say the regulations are out of step with the cost of developing the technology and what consumers want to buy.