Statement From Ken Berlin, President and CEO of the Climate Reality Project, on EPA’s Rejection of Vehicle Greenhouse Gas / Fuel Efficiency Standards

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it has rejected greenhouse gas / fuel efficiency standards put in place during the Obama Administration that would have approximately doubled the average fuel efficiency of new vehicles sold in the United States. By 2025, these standards were projected to save Americans $1.7 trillion in fuel costs; prevent about 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases over the lifetimes of the vehicles sold from entering our atmosphere; and reduce US oil consumption by 2.2 million barrels a day.

Ken Berlin, President and CEO of The Climate Reality Project, released the following statement in response to the announcement.

“The transportation sector is the nation's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA’s decision will harm the air we breathe and cost us more at the pump. Polls show that the American people overwhelmingly support the current standards, and the last thing we should do is shift into reverse in protecting our air and addressing the climate crisis."