California and Other States Sue EPA Over CAFE Standards

This week, California and seventeen other states filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit over the EPA’s push to ease fuel efficiency standards. In the lawsuit, the states stated that the EPA acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” in its consideration of lowering fuel efficiency standards. Joining California in the lawsuit were Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

Last month, the EPA announced that it will not be renewing Obama-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for cars and light trucks when the program is scheduled to end in 2025. The Obama Administration initially set 50 miles per gallon (mpg) as an across the board fleet-wide target by 2025. However, the target will unlikely be met because the EPA announced that there will be a reduction in CAFE standards already in place for 2022 through 2025. According to a recent EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) draft proposal, the two agencies ae looking to freeze efficiency standards from model year 2020 through 2026 at 37 mpg.

The EPA has said it will try to reach an agreement with California on a single national standard, but California is intent on keeping the existing standards in place. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told lawmakers last week that he would not be going after California’s ability to enforce its own fuel efficiency standards and looks forward to working with the state.

Meanwhile, a group of top automakers will be meeting with President Trump at the White House soon, although a date has not been set. One of the main topics of discussion will be the Trump Administration’s ongoing battle with California over fuel efficiency standards for automobiles.