Photo: welcomia via Shutterstock
May 15, 2018 (BOSTON) – Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed a lawsuit today against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) challenging the agency’s reversal of the nation’s successful clean car standards.
The clean car standards under attack cover fuel efficiency and emissions, and they were adopted based on years of comprehensive analysis and with the support of automakers. These standards set historic mile per gallon targets and protect Americans’ health, wallets, and national security while combating climate change and driving innovation throughout the automotive market.
“The impacts of weakening these landmark standards will be widespread and severe,” said Emily Green, CLF Staff Attorney. “American families and businesses will be forced to pay more at the pump for gas, while the air we breathe becomes dirtier and the health of our communities is put at risk. The original standards are working as intended, but the EPA has again caved to pressure from big polluters in its decision to change the rules.”
Also potentially at stake is the autonomy that has been granted to states to adopt even more stringent emissions standards than the federal regulations. All of the New England states except New Hampshire have followed California’s lead in setting tougher standards. EPA’s final determination sets the stage for a battle over states’ rights to protect their citizens from the harmful effects of dirty air.
CLF joins several other environmental organizations in this lawsuit, including Center for Biological Diversity, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, Public Citizen, Inc., Sierra Club, and Union of Concerned Scientists.
CLF experts are available for further comment.
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