(UnitedVoice.com) – Electric vehicles. Some people love them. Many others despise them. President Joe Biden has made it clear that he intends to push the expensive, time-consuming automobiles no matter what the American public thinks. And he has reportedly finalized plans to crack down on sales.
New Rule
On March 20, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a long-awaited rule to try to combat emissions from light trucks and passenger vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Cars is being called the strictest rule issued by the administration for vehicles. It will require auto manufacturers to increase the sale of EVs and slash carbon emissions from gas-powered vehicles.
When the rule was initially proposed in 2023, the EPA estimated it would result in two-thirds of the new vehicles being electric by 2032. The agency made changes to the rule after outrage across the country and to appease labor unions. The new rule states that automakers can manufacture a mix of vehicles to comply with the new regulations.
As a result, the EPA estimates approximately 29% of the vehicles manufactured in 2032 will be gas-powered, 56% will be electric, 13% will be plug-in hybrids, and 3% will be other types of hybrids. The rule hopes to achieve these levels by making it difficult for car manufacturers to meet the new pollution standards each year without increasing the number of electric vehicles made.
According to the EPA, the new standards for vehicles will reduce carbon emissions by 7 billion tons through 2055. It will also reduce the number of premature deaths related to pollution by 2,500.
Response to Rule
Republicans have already threatened to undo the rule. The Hill published a joint statement from Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) calling the new standards “delusional” and threatening to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn them.
However, for that effort to be successful, two-thirds of Congress would have to vote in favor of overturning the rule. That would mean a significant number of Democrats would have to agree. The Left is relatively united in its green energy policies making that extremely unlikely.
If former President Donald Trump wins the election in November, the GOP would have a much better shot at reversing the rule.
American Petroleum Institute CEO Mike Sommers and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers CEO Chet Thompson also issued a joint statement. They said it doesn’t matter what party a person belongs to, lawmakers will have to decide whether they should protect US workers, consumer choice, and American energy security by reversing the “deeply flawed regulation.”
The CEOs expressed a willingness to sue if Congress doesn’t act.
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