Carper Statement on President Trump’s Order Reversing Emissions Standards for Cars and Trucks

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after President Trump reversed EPA’s technical determination that the strong fuel emissions standards for cars and light trucks for model years 2022-2025 should stay in place.

“Smart fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks are helping to drive American innovation and allowing consumers to drive further than ever before on a gallon of gas. The Trump Administration’s decision today is shortsighted and blatantly ignores how successful these standards have been.

“These standards save consumers money at the pump, help stem the tide of climate change, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and spur job creation as automakers develop technology to power the cars of the future. These strong standards, developed after the Obama Administration brought EPA, the Department of Transportation, the state of California and others to the table, resolved years of litigation, and, since their implementation, we have seen a resurgence in the auto industry, with hundreds of thousands of jobs added since 2009 and record sales in the last two years. Undoing the progress we have made would create uncertainty for the auto industry and send a signal to the rest of the world that addressing potent greenhouse gas emissions is not a priority for the United States.

“Rather than scrapping forward-looking standards, I urge the Trump Administration to encourage all parties to work together and find consensus on final standards for model years 2022-2025, as well as the next set of standards that will keep America on the cutting edge and help us leave a better world for generations to come.”

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