EPA and NHTSA Accepting Comments on Proposed 2017-2025 Fuel Standards

The public hearings and comment deadlines for the 2017 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards issued jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are approaching. Public hearings will be held on January 17, 19, and 24, 2012, and public comments are due by February 13, 2012.

Background

On May 7, 2010 the Obama Administration issued a final joint rule to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase fuel economy for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. The EPA coordinated with the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to propose standards for passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles, covering model years 2012 through 2016.

The EPA set federal emissions standards for greenhouse gases using its authority granted to it by the U.S. Supreme Court (Massachusetts v. EPA). The NHTSA set related fuel economy standards under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The purpose is to allow auto manufacturers the ability to build a single light-duty national fleet significantly reduces greenhouse gases.

On July 29, 2011, President Obama announced joint rulemaking would also take place, for model years 2017-2025. The proposed standards were published in the Federal Register on December 1, 2012.

Under the proposal, automakers will need to increase the efficiency of cars by 5 percent annually from 2017 to 2025. Light trucks will have to become 3.5 percent more efficient for the first four years of the program, and then 5 percent annually for the remainder of the cycle.

The administration estimates that the standards will save consumers $1.7 trillion in fuel costs by the year 2025 and reduce oil consumption by 2.2 million barrels a day. The oil savings, consumer, and environmental benefits of this comprehensive program are detailed in a report released by the administration entitled Driving Efficiency: Cutting Costs for Families at the Pump and Slashing Dependence on Oil.

The EPA’s CO2 emission standards for cars and trucks are based on CO2 emissions-footprint curves, where each vehicle has a different CO2 emissions compliance target depending on its footprint.

Information on Public Hearings & Comments

The NHTSA and the EPA will hold three public hearings, each beginning at 10 am local time.

• Tuesday, January 17, 2012: Courtyard Detroit Downtown, 333 East Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226
• Thursday, January 19, 2012: Crowne Plaza Philadelphia Downtown, 1800 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
• Tuesday. January 24, 2012, Hyatt at Fisherman's Wharf, 555 North Point Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

The hearing notice describes how to register to testify and provides more information about submitting written comments. All written comments must be submitted by February 13, 2012.

Additional information about emissions and fuel efficiency standards is available on the Great Lakes Legal Foundation Fuel Economy and Emissions webpage.

This post was authored by GLLF staff attorney Emily Kelchen.