The US Department of Transportation has taken a drastic step towards rolling back environmental regulations, proposing a significant reduction in fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. Under the proposed rulemaking, vehicles would be allowed to achieve an average mileage of just 34.5 miles per gallon by model year 2031, down from the previously set standard of 50.4 miles per gallon.
This move marks a reversal of President Joe Biden's climate policies aimed at promoting the adoption of electric vehicles among US drivers. In contrast, international manufacturers are racing ahead in their efforts to develop more efficient and eco-friendly EVs, but these models will likely remain unavailable to American consumers due to tariffs imposed by the current administration.
The decision is expected, given that President Trump took office once again and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a review of fuel efficiency standards just days into his tenure. Furthermore, the administration has recently ended a tax credit for buying electric vehicles, dealing a significant blow to the industry's growth prospects.
Proponents of the reduction argue that it will lead to lower average car prices and savings of $109 billion over five years. However, critics point out that increased gas prices could offset any potential cost savings, while ignoring the more significant environmental and financial costs associated with climate change.
The impact of this decision is already being felt in other ways. With global manufacturers continuing to develop more efficient EVs, American consumers may be left missing out on these benefits due to the tariffs imposed by the current administration. As the planet continues to warm, the consequences for human health and the environment will only become more severe.
According to some estimates, if the Environmental Protection Agency successfully repeals its finding that climate change causes human harm, gas prices are likely to rise even further. This would not only increase the financial burden on US consumers but also exacerbate the already dire consequences of catastrophic weather events predicted by scientists.
This move marks a reversal of President Joe Biden's climate policies aimed at promoting the adoption of electric vehicles among US drivers. In contrast, international manufacturers are racing ahead in their efforts to develop more efficient and eco-friendly EVs, but these models will likely remain unavailable to American consumers due to tariffs imposed by the current administration.
The decision is expected, given that President Trump took office once again and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a review of fuel efficiency standards just days into his tenure. Furthermore, the administration has recently ended a tax credit for buying electric vehicles, dealing a significant blow to the industry's growth prospects.
Proponents of the reduction argue that it will lead to lower average car prices and savings of $109 billion over five years. However, critics point out that increased gas prices could offset any potential cost savings, while ignoring the more significant environmental and financial costs associated with climate change.
The impact of this decision is already being felt in other ways. With global manufacturers continuing to develop more efficient EVs, American consumers may be left missing out on these benefits due to the tariffs imposed by the current administration. As the planet continues to warm, the consequences for human health and the environment will only become more severe.
According to some estimates, if the Environmental Protection Agency successfully repeals its finding that climate change causes human harm, gas prices are likely to rise even further. This would not only increase the financial burden on US consumers but also exacerbate the already dire consequences of catastrophic weather events predicted by scientists.
I'm really disappointed in this move. We're talking about a huge reversal of climate policies and it's all happening because of Trump being back in office again 
. I mean, what's the logic behind reducing fuel efficiency standards to 34.5 miles per gallon? Is it just going to save consumers $109 billion over five years or is there something more going on here that we're not seeing?
. That's a huge missed opportunity. And what really gets me is that the administration has already ended the tax credit for buying electric vehicles, which was supposed to be some kind of incentive for people to switch to greener cars 
.
. It's time for our leaders to step up and take action, not backtrack on climate policies 
.
"The earth has music for those who listen," and it's clear that some people have stopped listening to its warnings 
! I just can't believe they're rolling back those fuel efficiency standards again 
. But because of those tariffs, we can't even get our hands on them 
. It's like the admin doesn't care about us anymore 
.
. And what's with the whole "if we repeal our finding that climate change causes human harm" thing? Are they seriously trying to downplay this? It's getting ridiculous 
i cant believe the us government is rolling back on climate change policies 
It feels like we're getting left behind in the whole eco-friendly EV thing. What's going to happen to all those scientists who are warning us about climate change? Are we really just gonna ignore them and hope everything magically goes back to normal? 
. Meanwhile, we're still stuck with old gas-guzzlers and the government's too busy lining the pockets of big oil companies to care about our planet 
. The whole thing is a joke – we know climate change is real and it's only getting worse... when will we learn? 
. Can't we just prioritize our planet's future for once? 
. Climate change is a real thing and it's affecting us all.
. Can't we find a middle ground here? How about increasing funding for research into more efficient EVs instead of reducing standards? That way, everyone wins 
.
anyway i'm all for saving money but come on guys we can't forget about our poor planet...
. i guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out 
...
, but 34.5 miles per gallon? That's basically a death sentence for the environment