Federal Fuel Economy and Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Cars and Light-Duty Trucks
Most Recent Action
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
Model Years 2012-2016 Standards
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). 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.
The standards apply to passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles, covering model years 2012-2016, equivalent to 35.5 miles per gallon if the automotive industry were to meet this CO2 level all through fuel economy improvements.
Model Years 2017-2025 Standards
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.
Authority
Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, et al., 549 U.S. 497 (2007): Ruled that the Clean Air Act gives the EPA the authority to regulate tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases if the Administrator determines cause or contribute to air pollution and “may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.”
Related Documents
Proposed Standards, Dec. 2011
Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), Nov. 2011
Draft Joint Technical Support Document (TSD), Nov. 2011
MY 2017-2025 Notice of Intent, August 2011
MY 2017-2025 Standards Fact Sheet, July 2011
Supplemental Notice Fact Sheet;Dec. 2010
Supplemental Notice; Nov. 2010
Summary of Minor Corrections to Light-Duty Notice of Intent and the Interim Joint Technical Assessment Report; October 28, 2010
California Air Resources Board's Letter of Support (PDF); October 1, 2010
Fact Sheet; Oct. 2010
Interim Joint Technical Assessment Report: Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards for Model Years 2017-2025 (PDF); September 2010
Interim Joint Technical Assessment Report: Light-Duty Vehicle GHG Emission Standards and CAFE Standards for Model Years 2017-2025; September 2010
Next steps for the EPA; May 2010
Notice of Upcoming Joint Rulemaking to Establish Vehicle GHG Emissions and CAFE Standards; 74 Fed. Reg. 24007, May 22, 2009.
Memo from President Obama Regarding Fuel Efficiency Standards; May 21, 2010
Regulatory Impact Analysis; April 2010
Joint Technical Support Document; April 2010
Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory for Air Quality Modeling Technical Support Document; April 2010
EPA Proposes Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Light-Duty Vehicles; May 2009.
EPA and NHTSA Proposed National Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Improve Fuel Economy for Cars and Trucks; Sept. 2009.