Sunday, August 18, 2019

Thoughts: House Democrats ask More Automakers to Join California Fuel Agreement


Photo by Pawel on Unsplash



Democrats have pushed ahead to ask 14 automakers to join the list of 4 major automakers (from last month) in an agreement to keep increasing fuel efficiency:



HOUSE DEMOCRATS PRESS ON THE GAS: Eight senior House Democrats, led by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), are following in the footsteps of 30 Senate Democrats today to press major automakers to sign onto the agreement struck between California and four other carmakers ahead of the Trump administration's auto emissions rollback, Pro's Anthony Adragna reports.
The deal reached last month between the Golden State and Ford, Volkswagen, Honda and BMW North America would see vehicles average 50 miles per gallon by 2026 — a standard less aggressive than the Obama-era rules would have required, but far above the Trump administration's plan.
"While not on par with the Obama Administration standards, this agreement brings our transportation sector closer to the goals of the current standards while providing greater certainty for industry," the House lawmakers wrote. "We encourage all automakers to come to the table and work towards pragmatic solutions that will better protect the planet while preventing years of litigation and economic uncertainty."
Signers include Energy and Commerce's Environment and Climate Change subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and senior members of the House Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition. The letter went to the leaders of Aston Martin, Fiat Chrysler, General Motors, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo.



This news comes amid last months agreement between the 4 significant automakers over the increasing fuel efficiency, despite the Trump administration's push for reversing the increase.  If the Trump administration were to win a battle, then the increase in fuel efficiency (i.e., fuel targets) would be reduced rather than sought after as in the Obama administration.  Trump administration officials believe that reversing such goals would save automakers money and time with having to meet such demanding targets moving into the future.



What is surprising though is that automakers have already begun to adjust over the last few years to meet more stringent demands on fuel efficiency.  Which is great.  Therefore, reversing course now would not make any sense.  In fact, that would require a prolonged legal battle, which is what automakers do not want for the Trump administration.  Regardless, the Trump administration believes that spending enormous amounts of money in protracted legal battles is what big corporations want -- to roll back Obama era regulations.  Which are a terrible idea and a big waste of time?



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