EPA’s Clean Car Standards are Legally Sound and Will Save Lives
Statement of Alice Henderson, EDF Director and Lead Counsel for Transportation and Clean Air
Today Kentucky and allied states filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging EPA’s clean car standards – performance-based protections that will reduce climate and health-harming pollution from new cars and passengers trucks in model years 2027 through 2032.
“Tailpipe pollution from cars and passenger trucks is dangerous for human health, causes smog, and is one of the largest sources of climate pollution in the U.S. EPA's clean car standards will reduce that pollution and will do it while helping to create good jobs for American workers, more choices and more savings for consumers, and a stronger American economy.
“Clean cars have sparked a manufacturing renaissance in America, with $188 billion in announced investment so far and almost 200,000 jobs on the way. That includes substantial investments and benefits in states like Kentucky that are asking the court to block the clean car standards.
“EPA’s clean car standards are legally sound, technologically feasible and cost-efficient, widely supported by everyone from manufacturers to unions, and most importantly they’ll save lives. EDF will continue to vigorously protect the clean car standards.”
- Alice Henderson, EDF Director and Lead Counsel for Transportation and Clean Air
The map below, from a recent report by Environmental Defense Fund and WSP, shows the Top 10 states with the most announced investments for electric vehicle and battery manufacturing. Five of the states have Attorneys General who joined the lawsuit against clean cars: Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, South Carolina and Ohio.

With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
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