regulatory rollbacks


Eilis Garvey/Unsplash

On the Heels of Rollback, Auto Makers Seek Another Hand Out

, senior vehicles analyst

May 13, 2020 10:03 AM EDT

While the administration just finalized its reduction in vehicle efficiency from 5 percent per year to no better than a measly 1.5 percent per year (despite their own evidence showing how bad it is for the country), that hasn’t stopped the auto industry from seeking even further reductions. In a new proposed change to how passenger cars and trucks are tested, the Trump administration is trying to give automakers a carve-out that would further increase global warming emissions from new cars by 1.6 percent.

Admittedly, this change is a little wonky so let me lay it out as best as I can. But the bottom line is that automakers are seeking even further, permanent reductions in the stringency of global warming emissions standards, right on the heels of a massive rollback of emissions standards.

Read more >

Eilis Garvey/Unsplash
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President Donald J. Trump at Andeavor Refinery in Mandan, North Dakota.
President at an event at an oil refinery in North Dakota (2017), a reminder of the value the current administration on the oil and gas industry. D. Myles Cullen (Official White House Photo)

Trump Administration Finalizes Car Rule as Handout to Fossil Fuel Industry

, senior vehicles analyst

April 6, 2020 3:14 PM EDT

Earlier this week, the administration rolled back fuel economy and emissions standards. It was such a bad idea that even their own analysis showed that it would cause $10-20 billion in net harm to the American people. So you might be asking yourself…why did they do it? Let’s see what they said. Read more >

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With the economy teetering on the brink, the Trump administration decided it was a good time to cost consumers at the pump by rolling back fuel economy and emissions standards. cogdogblog/Flickr

Trump Administration Finalizes Car Rule Which Will Worsen Economy, Public Health

, senior vehicles analyst

March 31, 2020 2:34 PM EDT

Even with the economy at the brink of a recession, the Trump administration just finalized a rule to undo requirements on manufacturers to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new passenger cars and trucks. The net benefits of the rule are actually negative, resulting in $10-20 BILLION in net monetized harm to the country, which is actually a worse outcome than most of alternatives the agencies considered! Read more >

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Nine Trendy Words for the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Science

, director, Center for Science & Democracy

January 2, 2020 5:50 PM EDT

Eighteen months ago, I wrote a blog called the ABC’s of Sidelining Science by the Trump Administration because there were so many examples of this administration’s disregard for scientific process and evidence that I could readily/easily fill out the alphabet. I thought of updating my alphabet-of-wrongdoing at the end of 2019, but then thought it would be more helpful/interesting/etc. to instead utilize a great resource that Merriam-Webster, the dictionary people, put online called “Trending Words in the News.” While these are cool words that appear in news stories, my intent is to use them in descriptions of recent science-related actions by the Administration. Read more >

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Photo: Marco Verch/CC BY 2.0 (Flickr)

Trump Administration Dramatically Reduces Penalties for Auto Inefficiency

, senior vehicles analyst

July 16, 2019 6:15 PM EDT

In a Friday news dump last week, the Trump administration announced that they will be finalizing a reduction in fines for missing fuel economy targets. Not only is the administration working to roll back the strong standards set in place by the previous administration currently driving efficiency improvements across new vehicles, but now they are letting automakers off the hook if they miss targets between now and when that rollback goes into effect.

This action is par for the course for this administration, which is doing whatever it can to increase pollution and oil use. Read more >

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