EPA Takes On New Power Over Transportation, CO2 Regulation

EPA Announces Deadly CAFE Regs, CO2 Mandates

EPA Takes On New Power Over Transportation, CO2 Regulation

Washington, D.C., April 1, 2010 – The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today announced a new, joint greenhouse gas (GHG)/fuel economy standards rule that will increase traffic fatalities and trigger a regulatory nightmare.
The new rules will both subject cars and trucks to higher fuel efficiency mandates and set federal greenhouse gas emissions standards on cars and trucks (starting next year).

By forcing consumers into smaller, less safe cars, the new fuel efficiency standards will increase traffic fatalities.

"Government-mandated fuel economy standards are deadly," said Sam Kazman, CEI General Counsel.  "NHTSA had previously projected, in the original proposal, an additional 400 deaths annually due to these standards.  If a consumer product killed a tenth as many people, it would be banned outright.  But because CAFE is a government policy, not only will it not be banned, it’s going to be made even deadlier." 

And by subjecting greenhouse gas emissions from cars to regulation under the Clean Air Act, today’s announcement also triggers the regulation of stationary sources.

 "As a result of this misguided decision,” said William Yeatman, CEI Energy Policy Analyst, “Obama’s EPA will have the power to regulate anything larger than a mansion—your small business, your office complex, your apartment building. America, get ready for the Green Police." 

Only a handful of existing cars and trucks meet the stringent new standards, so the automakers likely will need more taxpayer handouts.

“The new fuel economy rules will force consumers to pay more for vehicles that they don’t want," said Myron Ebell, CEI Director of Energy and Global Warming Policy.  “And if consumers resist and hang on to their old cars, then the automakers will require another huge bailout from the federal government.”

 

> Read more on CAFE standards at
CEI.org
 
 
> See also, commentary
from CEI Senior Fellow Marlo Lewis on why it’s time to rein in EPA.