EPA and NHTSA Announce Decision to Reconsider GHG Standards for Light Duty Vehicles

Date: March 15th, 2017

Explanation: Regulatory action

Agencies: EPA, NHTSA

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced their intention to reconsider the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for light duty vehicles (see: Notice of Intention to Reconsider the Final Determination of the Mid-Term Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Model Year 2022-2025 Light Duty Vehicles).

The emission standards were originally issued in 2012 and covered light duty vehicles MY 2017-2025. EPA already conducted a midterm evaluation of the standards for MY 2022-2025, consistent with a directive in the 2012 rule, and concluded that no change was warranted for these later model years (see: Final Determination, Jan. 17, 2017). EPA and NHTSA now intend to reconsider the matter and issue a new determination on the appropriateness of the MY 2022-2025 by April 1, 2018.

EPA and NHTSA issued the notice shortly after the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers filed a petition for review of the Jan. 17 determination in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to filing that petition, the Alliance also sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt urging EPA to reconsider the emission standards.