Pallone Applauds Biden Administration’s Historic Move to Reduce Climate Pollution and Accelerate Transition to EVs
Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement today applauding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new proposed vehicle emissions standards for model year (MY) 2027 and beyond, which will slash dangerous climate pollution, protect public health, and accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs):
"Today's announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter in our fight for a clean, sustainable future. These are the most ambitions vehicle emissions standards ever proposed, and together they will ensure that the United States is the global leader of the next generation of motor vehicles. This is what outpacing our economic competitors looks like.
"This is a historic win across the board: drivers will spend less on fuel, Americans will breathe cleaner air, and climate pollution will be dramatically slashed across the sector that creates it most. These standards will also shore up our energy security by dramatically reducing our dependence on foreign oil – an expensive, volatile global commodity controlled largely by our adversaries. I'm thrilled the Biden Administration is taking such ambitious action to meet this moment and tackle the climate crisis head on, lower costs for drivers, and protect Americans' right to clean air."
For light- and medium-duty vehicles, EPA estimates that its new proposed standards will result in 67 percent and 46 percent, respectively, of all new vehicle sales being for EVs by 2032. Consumers are expected to save an average of $12,000 over the lifetime of a light-duty vehicle. The net benefits of these proposals are projected to be over a trillion dollars between 2027 and 2055.
Cuts to climate pollution will be significant: EPA reports that by 2055, these new vehicle standards will avoid nearly 10 billion tons of CO2 pollution. Both proposals are also expected to deliver significant public health benefits. By reducing conventional pollutants, EPA projects reductions in pulmonary and heart conditions associated with particulate matter exposure, such as lung disorders, cancer, heart disease, and premature mortality.
Finally, these historic vehicle emissions standards are expected to reduce oil imports by approximately 20 billion barrels by 2055.
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