Trump Administration Will Not Enforce Vehicle Fuel Economy Standards, Imposing Costs on Americans

The Trump administration today finalized a rule indicating it would no longer enforce the nation’s fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles and for larger freight trucks and buses because it believes some of the consistent legal interpretations underpinning those rules are now incorrect. 

The Trump administration took this action summarily, without any public input or legal process. It also did not analyze any of the costs or harms this damaging action would impose on the public, claiming it would do so later. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates its last update to the fuel economy standards—which the Trump administration has now said it will not enforce—would save Americans $23 billion in fuel costs and reduce our national fuel consumption by 70 billion gallons.

“The Trump administration’s action weakening fuel economy standards means higher costs for Americans at the gas pump and more reliance on foreign oil. The administration has taken this action without any public input or process and without considering the huge costs and harms it will impose on Americans.  This U-turn on fuel economy standards is disastrous for our economy, security and environment, and we will vigorously oppose it.”

            - Peter Zalzal, Associate Vice President for Clean Air Strategies, Environmental Defense Fund