The Environmental Protection Agency is easing emissions standards for vehicle and opponents say Georgians and others will pay the price.
Environmental regulators say they are easing emission standards for cars and trucks, saying the timeline put into place by President Barack Obama set standards too high. Jennette Gayer, Executive Director of Environment Georgia says the EPA’s rollback is a blow to public health and the environment.
"There are clearly some air quality implications. So a lot of the air pollution in our cities come from automobiles, and large trucks, and small trucks," said Gayer. "Unfortunately, if you are making cars that are not clean and less efficient, you will see air pollution on the rise."
Gayer says the move will also cost consumers millions at the pumps each year due to less fuel-efficient vehicles.
It could take a couple years for the EPA to propose new rules, gather public comment and finalize any changes. In the meantime, automakers have to proceed with plans for new cars and trucks under the current gas mileage requirements.
The Environmental Protection Agency said it completed a review that will affect vehicles for model years 2022-2025 but it did not specify details on new standards, which it said would be forthcoming. Current regulations from the EPA require the fleet of new vehicles to get 36 miles per gallon in real-world driving by 2025. That's about 10 mpg over the existing standard.
