One of the remarkable opportunities that grew out of coronavirus pandemic is that people in cities can look into the sky and see stars. That was something our country did to us over time and with great damage to these bodies, that we travel around in — the human kind. Since people have been sheltering at home, emissions have dropped 17 percent. Now, Donald Trump wants to blow that up, too.
Twenty-three. states have. joined together to sue the Trump administration. It appears that POTUS and his big business buddies want to roll back President Barack Obama’s climate measures regarding fuel efficiency standards, according to TheNational Public Radio (NPR). These were required of automakers, and many of them disagree with the emissions rollback, but Trump doomed them in March.
The ruling cut “year-over-year improvements” by “slashing standards.” These had been required so that those who build autos would reach an average of 55 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2025. Trump pulled that back to 40 mpg by 2026, which coincides with the end of Trump’s desired six-year-term. He wants to stay in office and believes the nation owes him two extra years for being mean to him.
The coalition of states’ attorneys general say the commander-in-chief’s rule is in direct conflict with the existing law.
NPR’s Nathan Rott commented that there were problems with the analysis:
‘That’s just one of the problems with the math the administration has used to justify this change. Even the EPA’s own scientific advisory council slammed earlier versions of the rule, saying the agency’s underlying technical analysis contained significant weaknesses.’
He continued noting that for people to come out on the good side, manufacturers must assume that people will be able to drive their cars “for 40 years:”
‘Antonio Bento, a professor of policy and economics at the University of Southern California, says that’s because the administration is cherry-picking numbers to support this rollback. For example, the EPA says this change will save thousands of lives because people will be in newer, safer cars. But to reach that number, they’re assuming a car will be driven for 40 years.’
Attorney General for California Xavier Becerra (D) reported that his state would go to court, according to The Hill:
‘[W]ith our three best allies by our side: the facts, the science and the law.’
Those attorneys general indicated that the president’s plan would cost the American voters over $13 billion more than they would save by Trump’s action. It appeared that the White House knew this, too, because The Hill reviewed the documentation that showed those advisers with doubts about the rule.
The president’s staff at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were involved in writing the rule, but they also had significant doubts about its success. Trump ignored them.
Becerra said that the administration added a citizenship question to the Census, and that helped the states win their case:
‘This is not the first time the administration has tried to hide documents in important cases.’
Rott added that the average age of cars on the road today is 12 years:
‘In fact, in today’s announcement, the EPA says the average age of vehicles on the road right now is the highest it’s ever been at 12 years. Numbers like that are sure to come up in lawsuits challenging the change. More immediately, Bento and others say, the announcement, which will lead to dirtier air, is tone deaf, given the country is dealing with a pandemic affecting people’s lungs.’
The EPA had no comment.
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.
