Tailpipe Litigation Put in Park
by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Despite procedural objections from states and environmentalists, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday granted the Biden administration’s request to pause litigation over federal auto emissions and fuel economy standards. That will give the agencies time to rewrite the SAFE Vehicles rule that significantly scaled back federal tailpipe standards. The first status update from EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is due to the court July 1 — the same month in which Biden has directed the agencies to issue a proposed revision. READ MORE
EPA Chief Vows Tougher Tailpipe Rules by July, Unwinding Trump’s (Bloomberg; includes VIDEO)
CALIFORNIA BACK ON TOP ON TAILPIPES: (Politico’s Morning Energy)
Excerpt from Politico’s Morning Energy: CALIFORNIA BACK ON TOP ON TAILPIPES: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed doing away with a Trump-era cap on state’s vehicle emission standards. The Trump administration moved to bar states like California from setting their own tailpipe standards that were more stringent than the federal version, arguing it had the power to regulate fuel efficiency under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy program of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975.
California and several friendly states challenged the Trump administration at the time. NHTSA’s newest proposal raises “substantial doubts” CAFE authority granted the previous administration power to cage in states’ emissions standards. Alex Guillén has more for Pros. READ MORE
