American Petroleum Institute says new US emissions standards will ‘hurt consumers’

The American Petroleum Institute (API) criticized a proposal by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday about new federal vehicle emissions standards, warning that the rule will hurt consumers with higher costs and greater reliance on unstable foreign supply chains.

The EPA announced two proposals to dramatically cut auto emissions and spur the industry toward full electrification.

‘This deeply flawed proposal is a major step toward a ban on the vehicles Americans rely on,’ API President and CEO, Mike Sommers, was quoted as saying in a statement released by API.

‘As proposed, this rule will hurt consumers with higher costs and greater reliance on unstable foreign supply chains,’ Sommers added.

According to the EPA, these proposals aim to accelerate the ongoing transition to a clean vehicle future, tackle the climate crisis, and improve air quality ‘for communities across the nation, especially those that have borne the burden of polluted air.’

The first set of proposed regulations would target emissions from automobiles, vans, and light trucks, while the second set would apply to heavier-duty commercial vehicles, including buses, dump trucks and delivery trucks.

The EPA said that if the regulations are put into effect by 2032, two-thirds of new sedans, SUVs, and heavy trucks will be electric.

The EPA expects that the regulations, as a whole, will reduce CO2 emissions by 10 billion tons by 2055.

• The American Petroleum Institute (API)