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PA hosts one of only three hearings in the U.S. on Trump proposal to rollback clean car standards

PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center

[Pittsburgh, PA] — This Wednesday (Sept. 26), the Trump administration is holding one of only three public hearings nationwide in Pittsburgh on proposed rollbacks of both federal fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks, and stripping the power of Pennsylvania and other states to set stronger safeguards to protect public health from air pollution from vehicles. PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center will join dozens of everyday Pittsburghers and Pennsylvanians to voice opposition to this shortsighted attempts to weaken the nation’s best climate change mitigation program.

If the rollback is fully implemented, this regressive move would eliminate the existing federal clean car standards, which are cutting future carbon emissions more effectively than any other federal policy. On the other hand, if the program is maintained, the standards would double fuel economy and cut global warming pollution produced in half for cars sold in 2025. This is crucial given that the transportation sector is now the country’s largest source of climate-altering carbon pollution.

At the same time, the Trump administration has also proposed revoking states’ abilities to set stronger clean car standards. Pennsylvania implemented these standards in 2006.

David Masur, Director of PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center, released the following statement:

“We should be accelerating progress on clean cars, not hitting the brakes. Federal fuel efficiency  and state clean cars standards are the greatest actions the U.S. has taken to date to address global warming, and rolling them back would be a massive blow to the environment and public health. If the federal government will not protect clean air and a stable climate, states like Pennsylvania must be allowed to act to protect the health of their citizens

“Already, global warming is endangering communities around the country. This summer, Pennsylvania endured record-breaking heat waves and devastating downpours, which will only continue to get worse as we continue to pump global warming pollution into our air. Pennsylvanians deserve less pollution, not more.

“The EPA should be acting to protect public health and the environment. We need to step up and move forward to clean up our cars, not halt our progress.”

 

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PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is a statewide, citizen based, environmental organizing and advocacy non-profit fighting for clean air, clean water, and open spaces. For more information,  visit our website at www.PennEnvironmentCenter.org