Transportation Secretary Duffy Takes Steps to Repeal Emission Regulations
The official is also implementing changes to discontinue various policies within the Department of Transportation.
On January 29, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced that his department is taking steps to abolish strict fossil fuel emission regulations established by the Biden administration.
This regulation mandated that state agencies set targets to lower carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles on national highways. These targets were designed to progressively decrease, with agencies required to update their progress. While the rule did not dictate target levels, it allowed agencies to determine suitable goals for their specific regions.
On Wednesday, Duffy gave the green light to a proposal for rescinding this regulation.
Related Stories
In the memorandum, Duffy pointed out that during the previous administration, NHTSA finalized two sets of fuel economy standards for various model years of light-duty and medium-duty vehicles.
“These fuel economy standards are established at such ambitious levels that automakers cannot, in practical terms, meet the standards without quickly shifting production from internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to alternative electric technologies,” he explained.
Duffy remarked that these “unrealistically high” fuel economy standards imposed substantial costs, making many new vehicle models unaffordable for the average American family and small business owner.
He instructed the NHTSA to immediately commence a review of all existing fuel economy standards for model year 2022 and beyond, suggesting that any non-compliant standard should be either rescinded or replaced to align the CAFE program with the policies of the Trump administration.
The Alliance of Automotive Innovation commented that it is reasonable for the new DOT leadership to evaluate existing fuel economy standards.
This action aligns with several recent executive orders issued by President Donald Trump, including the “Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions” and “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” according to the department.
According to the memorandum, all DOT offices are required to identify and report any programs and policy statements impacted by Trump’s relevant executive orders within 10 days and revoke any non-compliant regulations.
Duffy stated that these measures represent a move towards reinstating common-sense governance and merit-based practices within the Transportation Department.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are dedicated to eliminating burdensome regulations that have stifled economic growth, inflated costs for American families, and favored extreme left agendas over practical solutions,” he remarked. “The American populace deserves an efficient, safe, and growth-oriented transportation system founded on sound decision-making, not political ideologies. These actions will help us fulfill that commitment.”
