Demand Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards To Reduce Air Pollution And Save Lives
3,479 signatures toward our 30,000 Goal
Sponsor: The Rainforest Site
The transportation sector is the largest contributor to air pollution, with personal vehicles accounting for over half.
Vehicle mileage standards implemented during the Trump Administration slashed fuel economy requirements by more than half, allowing new vehicles to produce more pollution than would have been permitted under the old standards. These new standards put both people and the environment at great risk: they claim to save consumers money and create safer vehicles, but allow a significant increase in air pollution. We need higher fuel efficiency standards to protect everyone's health and safety.
A study found that more than 100,000 Americans die every year from illnesses caused by air pollution. 1
Paul Billings, the national director of public policy for the American Lung Association, said, "We know air pollution puts individuals at risk for lung infection. (And) there is evidence air pollution could make people more susceptible to diseases, especially if they already have chronic diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder." 2
The previous rule put in place by former President Barack Obama was projected to save consumers $88 billion and avoid 459 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. It required automakers to increase annual fuel economy by nearly 5%, but the new rule slashes that to just 1.5%, a number below what automakers said they could do without regulation. 3
The transportation sector is the largest contributor to air pollution according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Gas and diesel vehicles are the top contributors in the sector and the only way to reduce pollution is by requiring automakers to create more fuel efficient vehicles.
"This is the first time that an administration has pursued a policy that will net negative benefit for society and reduce fuel savings," said Chet France, former senior official at EPA. 4
We urge the Trump administration and EPA to immediately repeal the rollback rule and demand higher fuel efficiencies for new vehicles.
Sign now and demand immediate action.
- 100,000 Americans Die from Air Pollution, Study Finds. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2019-04-08/100-000-americans-die-from-air-pollution-study-finds
- Bayly, L. (2020, April 1). Trump just rolled back emissions standards - but critics say pandemic shows bigger risks. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/trump-just-rolled-back-emissions-standards-critics-say-pandemic-shows-n1174336
- Beitsch, R. (2020, April 7). Trump rollback of Obama-era mileage standards faces challenges in courts. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/491608-trump-rollback-of-obama-era-mileage-standards-faces-challenges-in
- Knickmeyer, E. (2020, March 30). New Trump mileage standards to gut Obama climate effort. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/f1b244a36bccfa314448e5ffa90b4ff7
The Petition:
To:President Joe Biden, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, The Environmental Protection Agency:
Please reestablish higher fuel efficiency requirements for all new vehicles. Air pollution continues to increase each year and claims the lives of countless people. The transportation sector is the leading contributor to air pollution, so it is only logical to put strict restrictions on automakers to reduce emissions.
Automakers are already exploring electric and hybrid designs that can drastically reduce the amount of toxic emissions. Consumers, even those who drive SUVs and trucks, want better fuel efficiency. While affordable vehicles are important, the longterm impact of a rolled back mileage standard ends up costing more.
There is no planet B, so we must act now.
Your swift action is appreciated.
Sincerely,
