Washington — Nearly 100 members of Congress urged the Environmental Protection Agency to implement “the strongest feasible” emissions standards in a letter Thursday.
The letter, signed by 12 Democratic senators and more than 80 House members, contrasts with opposition to the standards from Republicans in Congress and major automakers.
U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Shri Thanedar of Detroit were the only two members of Michigan’s delegation to sign on to the letter, which was led by Sens. Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Alex Padilla of California, and Reps. Doris Matsui of California and Yvette Clarke of New York, all Democrats.
In April, the EPA proposed what it called the “strongest ever” standards to restrict greenhouse gas emissions from light-duty cars and trucks, which would call for a 56% reduction in emissions from model years 2027 to 2032. The EPA estimated it would result in EVs comprising more than two-thirds of all new vehicle sales by the end of the timeframe.
The lawmakers urged the EPA to implement even stricter regulations, citing expert warnings that the Earth is on a path to exceed the 1.5 degree Celsius temperature increase above pre-industrial levels, a threshold at which the world would begin to experience much more devastating effects of climate change.
“The strongest feasible (light-duty vehicle) rule will produce meaningful and important climate, public health and welfare, and economic benefits,” they wrote.
They asked the EPA to instead implement standards that would achieve a 61% reduction in emissions and result in 69% electric vehicle new car sales by 2032, and said that “regulatory certainty, through setting ambitious federal clean car standards, will allow domestic manufacturers to make long-range business plans and private-sector investments to achieve those standards.”
The letter comes just over a week after the comment period closed for the EPA’s emissions proposal, which has amped up the debate over electric vehicle policy on Capitol Hill.
Republicans have argued the proposal amounts to a de facto EV mandate that will reduce consumer choice and further increase the cost of cars. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a lobbying group representing most major automakers in the United States, also has argued the proposal is “neither reasonable nor achievable” and could push automakers into further reliance on Chinese supply chains.
Environmental and consumer advocacy groups have supported the proposal, saying they are achievable, will save consumers money over the course of a car’s lifetime, and will significantly cut emissions from the transportation sector. Transportation is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
rbeggin@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @rbeggin