Fifty Mayors, 11 States and Washington D.C. vow to defend federal regulation of 50 mpg automobile efficiency standards against a rollback proposed by Scott Pruitt, the anti-clean-air head of the Environmental Protection Agency. **
In a statement like the American Revolution’s Declaration of Independence, local leaders are rejecting a corrupt central government out of touch with the people – one that instead is beholden to special interests, big oil, and big money for campaigns to keep the corruption and tyranny ongoing. Pruitt has the stench of sulfur about him over his connections to special oil interests, wasteful spending of taxpayer money to travel like a king, and cronyism in EPA hiring practices.
“We strongly support the current federal standards for such a modern vehicle fleet agreed to in 2012 by the automotive industry, the federal government and the State of California, said the States and mayors.
“We believe these standards are both necessary and feasible – a conclusion reaffirmed in a major 2016 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the California Air Resources Board. This study found that auto companies are adopting fuel economy technologies at unprecedented rates and will be able to meet these standards primarily with conventional vehicles. The study also found that the cost of compliance will be similar or lower than anticipated in 2012, with substantial fuel savings payback for consumers. These findings are consistent with a major 2015 study by the National Academy of Sciences.”
The big issue concerns universal rights. “All Americans — not only the residents of the states, cities and counties signing this manifesto – deserve to enjoy fuel-efficient, low-emission cars and light trucks that save money on gas, improve our health and support American jobs. We strongly urge the auto industry to join us, and to use its influence with the Administration to ensure that these standards remain in place.”
This appears to be a serious States rights issue, rights traditionally defended by Republicans except when money gets in the way. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra previously threatened to sue in defense of the standards. The attorneys general, from the states of New York, Iowa and Massachusetts, said they would challenge a rollback in court.
Pruitt, a former attorney general of Oklahoma, a big oil producer, has been criticized because he paid well below market rates of $50 – when he paid rent at all – to live in a condo owned by a lobbyist who deals with issues overseen by his agency.
** AutoInformed on Clean Air Battles
- EPA Keeps 54.5 MPG Fuel Economy Rules in Place
- CAFE, Global Warming Rules Approved for 2022-25
- CARB Defies Trump on Vehicle Emission Standards
- Non-Independence Day as EPA Prepares to Scuttle CAFE
Pingback: A Closer Look at Biden’s 49 MPG CAFE Standard | AutoInformed
The Guardian: BBC chief: ‘fake news’ label erodes confidence in journalism.
The director general of the BBC has warned that the misuse of the term fake news by “repressive regimes” threatens to damage confidence in journalism, as he unveiled the corporation’s plans to tackle misinformation.
In the inaugural Society of Editors Satchwell lecture on Monday, Tony Hall said honest mistakes by media organisations were being wrongly portrayed as an intention to mislead. He cited recent examples such as the Russian government denying any involvement in the first Salisbury novichok attack in March after Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov were named as suspects.
Lord Hall has pledged that the broadcaster will be more robust in its fact-checking and is sending reporters into schools to teach pupils about spotting falsehood in news stories.
Advertisement
CARB on Low Carbon Fuels
Low carbon transportation fuels are rapidly seizing a larger share of the fuel market, and new data from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) underscores that trend. The 2017 Compliance Report for the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) shows 100 percent compliance with the regulation.
“This is great news and further evidence that California is on the right track in the fight to address climate change and ensure everyone has clean air to breathe,” said CARB Executive Officer Richard Corey. “This program gives consumers more fuel choices and is driving the development of a burgeoning clean-fuel market in California.”
The program considers greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at all stages of production of a fuel, from pump or field to wheel. It was originally developed to support a return to 1990 levels of climate-changing gases by 2020, as required by AB 32, the 2006 landmark climate bill. Currently fuel producers who sell their product in California must lower the amount of overall carbon in their fuels 10 percent by 2020.
Now that a new climate target of a 40 percent reduction of climate-changing gases is in place for 2030, CARB staff has proposed a further reduction in the LCFS to reach a 20 percent decrease of carbon in vehicle fuels to help meet that target. That reduction will help provide the basis for another overall reduction of an additional 40 percent by 2050.
The program provides consumers with an increasing volume and variety of cleaner fuels. As an example, in 2017, renewable liquid fuels displaced over 500 million gallons of diesel, and more than 100 million gallons were displaced by renewable natural gas. Electricity displaced about 75 million gallons of petroleum.
The 100 percent compliance rate is further proof of the success of the program. Of the 262 companies reporting under the program, 55 generated deficits for supplying fuels that were dirtier than the 2017 program benchmark. They were required to make up for their shortfall by purchasing credits from clean fuel providers. All other companies brought cleaner fuels to market—fuels that were below the carbon-intensity baseline.
Since its start in 2011 the program has generated credits representing a total reduction of 35.8 million metric tons of climate-changing gases. That equals an over-compliance of 9.8 million metric tons, meaning that that GHG emission reductions are occurring ahead of schedule. The clean fuels also reduced emissions of toxic pollutants as well as those that cost smog.
Going forward, CARB staff has proposed several amendments to the LCFS besides the 20 percent reduction target. All the amendments are to help achieve the overall 2030 GHG reduction target of 40 percent below 1990 levels.
The proposed amendments include credit generation for new innovative technologies such as hydrogen and electricity fueling stations, carbon capture and sequestration projects and cleaner alternative jet fuels. Other proposed amendments improve crediting for innovative actions at petroleum refineries and establish an independent third-party verification and verifier accreditation system to ensure accuracy of LCFS reported data.
The amendments were developed with extensive input from industry and the public. At the first of two Board meetings these amendments drew no comments in opposition.
California Air Resources Board Chair Mary D. Nichols today released the following statement on the President Trump’s Executive Order issued yesterday to review the National Ambient Air Quality Standards: “This order caves to a minority of industries who claim Clean Air Act standards are too strict, too costly and too burdensome,” said the CARB chair.
“The truth is a large body of research shows the Clean Air Act dramatically improves public health, especially among our most vulnerable populations. The consequences of inaction are irresponsible — unhealthy people, shortened lives, and greater demands on our health care system.”