Almost 100 members of the U.S. Congress wrote a letter on July 13th, 2023 urging the Biden administration for the finalization of stricter vehicle emissions regulations.
With notable members including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, the letter gave recommendations on what the final ruling should incorporate, including:
- A 61 percent reduction in carbon dioxide, 37 percent reduction in particulate matter, 44 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides and a 55 percent reduction in volatile organic compounds. Overall, this proposed standard is projected to increase market share for zero-emissions vehicles by 69 percent in 2032.
- Close loopholes in how compliance is calculated, including phasing out emissions credits.
- Strengthen durability and warranty requirements for zero-emissions vehicles.
The lawmakers cited the “benefits from addressing threats to public health, including climate change, the unprecedented resources supporting zero-emission vehicle purchases, manufacturing and infrastructure, and the dramatic advances in clean vehicle adoption.”
It’s worth noting that General Motors has stated that new vehicle emissions regulations would be difficult to follow. According to The General, there are six state and federal regulations that “could require each automaker to exceed 50 percent EVs in at least a dozen vehicle averaging sets” by 2030. Furthermore, the Detroit-based automakers claim that a lack of clarity in the proposed regulations could serve to hinder compliance in the future.
Looking forward, GM continues to push against even stricter regulations, as the potential timeframe makes it difficult for the automaker to achieve compliance, even in light of its goal of eliminating tailpipe emissions from its light-duty vehicles by the 2035 calendar year.
“We believe the United States should be on a path to eliminating harmful tailpipe pollution from new light-duty and medium-duty vehicles by 2035. A transition to a 100-percent zero-emission vehicles transportation sector is critical to reducing not only GHG emissions, but smog-forming pollution and particulate matter as well,” the letter stated.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more GM-related legal news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
