Democratic leaders in three states warned Friday that they are ready to challenge Trump's government in court, to challenge abuse of power, if they continue to plan to weaken exhaust emission standards, and they have criticized the car industry for a national agreement for roughly double fuel consumption purposes.
The EPA and NHTSA proposed last month to freeze the fuel efficiency standards of the Obama era at the 2020 level, instead of a gradual increase by 2025 for a fleet average of about 47 mpg. Automakers have activated the proposal by asking President Donald Trump to look again at the EPA's statement that the standards agreed between the federal government, the state of California and car manufacturers in 2011 remain viable.
"Perhaps one of the things we need to do in this country is naming hurricanes after car companies and car models," said Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy during a conference call Friday with reporters. "Perhaps that would bring the message to the American people about how much pollution comes from the transport sector and how much work still needs to be done."
Clean car standards were a feature of President Barack Obama's policy to tackle climate change, and proponents point out that global warming is a threat to man, highlighted by the recent increase in natural disasters.
The press conference was held prior to the next week's scheduled hearings in Fresno, California, Detroit and Pittsburgh, where the EPA and NHTSA will collect public comments on changes to the average fuel consumption rules for companies.
Malloy, along with attorneys general Xavier Becerra from California and Brian Frosh from Maryland, said they have strong legal grounds for a case because the Trump government's proposal is arbitrary and politically motivated and violates administrative procedures for fair trade of facts. Becerra also said that the attempt to revoke California's authority under federal law to adopt more protective emission standards is unconstitutional.
"We are ready to counter," he said.
Under administrative law, federal regulators must demonstrate that decisions affecting the public are taken with the help of sound information that is thoroughly evaluated. Critics say there is little evidence to refute claims from the administration that existing mpg targets are ineffective or lead to unsafe vehicles, in contrast to the sizeable public record compiled by Obama's EPA to enforce the standards. justify.
"If you want to change the law, you have to go through a process [like the one] that gave us these national standards, "Becerra said.
The state leaders said that Trump officials are not interested in other positions or facts.
"If a Democratic government tried to do so with so little science, so few facts and a regulatory evaluation process that virtually does not exist, there would be no doubt that a regulation would be rejected by the courts," Malloy said. "There is no way that this meets a reasonable standard, and that is what will be tested in the courts, must be."
The next week's hearings are inadequate, the leaders said.
"Three hearings across the country about something as important as the existential issue the planet is facing" is not enough, "said Becerra. He noted that in Southern California 87 consecutive days of smog have occurred – the longest stretch in two decades.
He said that California is willing to talk with car manufacturers and federal officials about ways to maintain a uniform national emission program that simplifies compliance, "but we are not interested in playing games."
Connecticut and Maryland belong to a dozen states that follow California's low emission vehicle program.