Extra administration analysis delays fuel economy rules

Source: By Kelsey Tamborrino, Politico • Posted: Friday, July 27, 2018

Fuel economy rules from EPA and the Department of Transportation that were widely expected this week will be delayed, as the feds are adding analysis to give them better odds of surviving an inevitable court challenge, sources familiar with the discussions told ME. The rules could come in the middle of next week, at the earliest, but that timeline could slip.

The EPA rule sets emissions requirements for cars and light trucks while DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was expected to simultaneously release a rule setting fuel economy standards, as Pro’s Eric Wolff reports . The rules will emphasize safety, making the case that lower mileage standards will hold down the cost of new cars, allowing owners of older cars to upgrade to more fuel-efficient ones. Also set to be in the proposed rules: a series of modifications to the Obama-era mileage rules for model years 2022-2025, with the preferred option of freezing the rules at 2020 levels still preferred, and DOT could assert its primacy over California when it comes to fuel economy standards.

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