EPA, Pruitt announce rollback of Obama-era fuel standards, setting up another battle with California

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt laid out plans on Tuesday to roll back Obama-era fuel standards in a move seen as a win for automakers, but one that is likely to ignite a major political and legal battle with the nation’s most populous state.

“These standards that were set were inappropriate and need to be revised,” Pruitt said during a speech at the EPA in Washington D.C., adding that the rules are too expensive and hurt car buyers by making vehicles costlier.

“The focus should be on making cars that people actually buy and that are efficient,” he said.

Pruitt’s decision to rewrite the nation’s first carbon limits on automobiles, which requires cars and light trucks sold in the United States to average more than 50 miles per gallon by 2025, reflects both the power of the country’s automakers and the Trump administration’s determination to jump start the car industry.

“EPA will set a national standard for greenhouse gas emissions that allows auto manufacturers to make cars that people both want and can afford — while still expanding environmental and safety benefits of newer cars,” he added. “It is in America's best interest to have a national standard, and we look forward to partnering with all states, including California, as we work to finalize that standard.”

The move by the EPA is the latest in a series of battles between the federal government and California, which has emerged as the staunchest opponent to the Trump administration’s policies. The EPA’s announcement of the rollback occurred on the same day the Justice Department sued California to block a new state law limiting the transfers of federal lands.
Source: Fox News
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