Our nation's transportation system has allowed us a higher quality of life and expanded mobility, but the transportation sector is also a significant contributor to poor air quality and climate change.
EDF supports innovative federal and state efforts that are reducing the negative impact of getting from one place to another.
The problem
The transportation sector is the largest source of climate pollution in the United States.
Our cars, trucks, ships and other vehicles also emit other dangerous types of air pollution – like particle pollution, which contributes to asthma attacks and lung disease – when they burn gasoline and diesel, the most commonly used fuels.
Health and budget solutions
Smart policies promoting clean transportation are already paying off. By requiring more efficient vehicles, we can reduce air pollution, mitigate climate change, and save American families money at the gas pump.
Clean Cars
In 2012 we finalized new Clean Car Standards for all new cars in model years 2017 to 2025. However, the Trump Administration rolled back these crucial standards. The rollback will cause 18,500 more premature deaths, and 1.5 billion metric tons of climate pollution to our air, and cost Americans an extra $244 billion at the gas pump. EDF will go to court to fight the rollback.
Clean trucks
In August 2016 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) finalized the second round of greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for the nation's heavy trucks. These standards help ensure that our nation's fleet of trucks uses dramatically less fuel, cuts climate and other harmful pollution, and saves both truckers and consumers money.
Tier 3
Tailpipe and gasoline standards finalized in 2014 will cut dangerous pollution and save thousands of lives every year.