Automakers Tell Trump His Pollution Rules Could Mean ‘Untenable’ Instability and Lower Profits
By Coral Davenport
June 6, 2019
WASHINGTON — Many of the world’s largest automakers joined together Thursday to tell President Trump that one of his most sweeping deregulatory efforts — his plan to weaken pollution standards for automobiles — threatens to hurt their profitability and produce “untenable” instability in one of the nation’s most important manufacturing sectors.
In a letter signed by 17 companies including Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Volvo, the automakers asked Mr. Trump to go back to the negotiating table on the planned rollback. It represents the most forceful statement to date by the auto industry against Mr. Trump’s effort to weaken the tailpipe pollution rules, one of President Barack Obama’s signature policies to fight climate change.
Mr. Trump’s new rule, which is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks, would all but eliminate the Obama-era auto pollution regulations, essentially freezing mileage standards at about 37 miles per gallon for cars, down from a target of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. The policy makes it a near certainty that California and 13 other states will sue the administration while continuing to enforce their own, stricter rules — in effect splitting the United States auto market in two.
For automakers, a bifurcated market is their nightmare scenario. In the letter to Mr. Trump, a copy of which was reviewed by The New York Times, they warned of “an extended period of litigation and instability” should his plans be implemented.
more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/climate/trump-auto-emissions-rollback-letter.html?emc=edit_na_20190606&ref=cta&nl=breaking-news
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