EPA Goes the Extra Mile to Rein In Climate Pollution from Light-Duty Vehicles

In response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement regarding both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicle greenhouse gas standards, Evergreen Action Executive Director Lena Moffitt released the following statement:

“The proposed light-duty car rule goes the extra mile to clean up our roadways and rein in toxic air pollution. By capping the pollution permitted from passenger vehicles, these rules will make it possible for the US to achieve 67 percent new zero-emission vehicles by 2032. This standard, combined with the transformative incentives for electric vehicles in the Inflation Reduction Act, will help usher in a clean transportation future led by American workers.

“Passenger vehicles are a necessity to millions of Americans, but they’re also the most climate-polluting part of the most climate-polluting sector of our economy. If we want to achieve President Biden’s climate and environmental justice targets, we must move toward 100 percent clean vehicles. Limiting the amount of harmful air and climate pollution spewed on our roadways every day is critical to safeguarding frontline and underserved communities that are continually subjected to health risks posed by close proximity to highway pollution. 

“Today’s light-duty proposal is an exciting step forward to deliver on the President’s commitments, but the heavy-duty rule announced alongside it does not meet the same bar. We look forward to engaging in the rulemaking process so that EPA can match the level of leadership and ambition of their light-duty proposal in the final heavy-duty rule.”

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