The American Petroleum Institute (API) has urged the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reverse course on its proposal for new emissions standards for light-duty and medium-duty vehicles.
The proposal amounts to a de facto ban on vehicles using gasoline and other liquid fuels that would drastically reduce American families’ freedom to choose a vehicle that best fits their needs and budget.
“We share the goal of reducing emissions across the transportation sector while ensuring continued reliability and affordability options for millions of Americans,” API President and CEO Mike Sommers said. “We support technology-neutral federal policies that drive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions in the transportation sector, but this proposal misses the mark. While not an explicit ban on internal combustion engines, this proposal is a de facto ban that will eliminate competition, distort the market, and restrict consumer choice, while being potentially more expensive to taxpayers.”
In comments submitted to the EPA, API outlined major concerns with several aspects of the proposed rule, including its heavy reliance on electric vehicles to achieve compliance. While battery technology has improved in recent years, the proposed rule ignores the significant infrastructure, consumer acceptance, and supply chain challenges that remain. Additionally, EPA’s narrow focus on a singular technology risks undermining US energy security by forcing a greater reliance on foreign sources for raw materials and critical minerals.
API highlighted better ways to accomplish the agency’s goal of reducing emissions, while preserving consumer choice in accessing affordable and reliable transportation options.
“EPA has largely ignored fuel and vehicle-based options that could better accomplish the agency’s objectives to achieve greater transportation sector-related emission reductions from the entire vehicle fleet, both new and in-use, at lower cost,” Sommers said. “Meaningful carbon emission reductions are achievable sooner, and potentially at lower cost, via the use of proven and available technology in liquid fuels.”