Watchdog: Trump-Era Rollback Of Car Rules Undercut EPA Staffers' Advice [1]
"Former President Trump's rollback of clean car standards violated federal regulatory processes, obscured career staffers' concerns and failed to assess impacts on vulnerable communities, according to EPA's internal watchdog.
In an investigative report released this morning, EPA's Office of Inspector General found that Trump's rollback, formally known as the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule, undercut 30 years of rulemaking precedent.
The two-part rule, which the Trump administration moved to finalize last March, is a collaboration between EPA and the Department of Transportation. It was aimed at weakening the vehicle fuel economy and greenhouse gas standards established by former President Obama in 2012.
In particular, the second part of Trump's rule required a 1.5% annual increase in the fuel economy of passenger cars, rather than the 5% increase mandated by Obama. The first part, which was finalized in September 2019, would block California from setting tougher tailpipe pollution rules than those of the federal government. Both parts are subject to numerous lawsuits from environmental groups and blue states."