API urges EPA to reject California’s gasoline vehicle ban request
(WO) – The American Petroleum Institute (API) urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject the California Air Resources Board (CARB) request to implement new regulations that would ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035.
“California’s outright ban on gasoline and diesel vehicles will restrict consumer choice, risk higher costs and force greater reliance on foreign supply chains,” API Vice President of Downstream Policy Will Hupman said. “Granting California a waiver would be yet another example of the Biden administration’s misguided campaign to dictate what cars consumers can drive and would further demonstrate how out of touch the administration’s energy policy is with the American people. Rather than pushing mandates and picking winners and losers, the administration should be focused on advancing a wide range of solutions to advance innovation and reduce emissions in the transportation sector.”
In comments submitted to EPA, API outlined major flaws with several aspects of California’s request for a waiver, including its narrow focus on a singular technology to achieve compliance and failure to consider the benefits of a range of technologies that can better meet the needs of the public on a faster timeline.
“CARB’s ACC II program fails to recognize the significant role that traditional and improved fuels and vehicles have played in the U.S. economy,” API noted in its comments. “The ACC II regulations explicitly force electrification of the light-duty vehicle fleet regardless of whether this technology and related performance criteria are appropriate for all consumers.”
While EPA is considering a waiver of preemption requested by the state of California, other states are allowed to adopt the same policies under Section 177 of the Clean Air Act. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia, which represent for 37 percent of the U.S. new vehicle registrations, currently follow California’s existing standards and many are likely to adopt the revised policy.
API also released a new national poll conducted by Ipsos that found 75 percent of voters oppose government regulations that would ban new gasoline, diesel and hybrid vehicles.
