Over 4,700 car dealerships in the US have written a letter to President Joe Biden, asking him to stop the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempts to enforce more stringent regulations on vehicle emissions.

The letter arrives shortly before the agency’s anticipated decision on its proposal for tailpipe emissions, which tackles both the impact of climate change and harmful pollutants on health.

Auto dealers have recently sent their second letter to the White House regarding the EPA’s decision on tailpipe emissions limits. This is the second letter they have sent in the span of two months, with the first one being sent last November. Despite their initial attempt to reach out, the dealerships have not received a response from the Biden administration.

An Environmental Protection Agency representative stated that the agency is unable to provide a comment at this time, as the proposal is undergoing interagency review.

The White House spokesperson stated on Thursday that President Biden is focusing on building a future that is created by American workers and for America. This effort aims to establish the United States as the leader in clean energy. The statement also mentioned that more and more Americans are purchasing electric vehicles, which are seeing a faster growth rate than traditional gasoline-powered cars. The President’s Inflation Reduction Act is making EVs more accessible to the public, resulting in cost savings for drivers.

The government’s objective is to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, in line with the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This includes targeting the transportation sector, which is responsible for 58% of emissions from passenger vehicles and trucks, as reported by the EPA. The regulation also sets limits on hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter released into the atmosphere. These harmful emissions have been linked to various health problems and have a greater impact on those living near busy roadways.

According to the EPA, their proposed rules could result in two-thirds of all vehicles sold in the U.S. being electric by 2032, which exceeds the 50% goal set by the administration two years prior.

The rules, which will affect light- and medium-duty vehicles starting in the 2027 model year, could result in a 56% decrease in estimated greenhouse gas emissions from the fleet compared to current standards. This would prevent approximately 7.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2055. Additionally, they aim to reduce harmful pollutants by 60% by the 2032 model year.

Numerous car companies worldwide have committed to investing large sums of money to shift towards exclusively selling all-electric vehicles in the next ten years, as the push to combat climate change gains traction. In 2020, electric vehicle sales in the United States increased by 47% to reach a record of 1.2 million, according to Motorintelligence.com. While EVs are experiencing continuous growth, they still only make up 7.6% of the total market share in 2023.

As a result, numerous car dealerships claim they will be unable to fulfill the EPA’s strict objectives.

Almost 4,000 out of the approximately 17,000 franchised stores across the country requested Biden to slow down the EPA’s proposal in a letter sent in November. They referred to the regulations as an “electric vehicle requirement.” In December, House Republicans passed a bill to prevent the implementation of pollution restrictions and also labeled them as a mandate.

In this week’s letter, the dealerships asked Biden to “hit the brakes” entirely, citing several factors that they say indicate slowing EV adoption. The signers said the supply of EVs on dealer lots is twice that of internal combustion engine vehicles, and that they won’t be able to sell EVs at the rate the regulations would require.

The letter states that the proposed electric vehicle mandate is not feasible due to a lack of tax incentives, inadequate charging infrastructure, and low consumer demand.

The EPA’s regulations on tailpipe emissions would not mandate a certain quantity of electric vehicles to be sold annually by automakers.

Car manufacturers can comply with EPA rules by not only selling pure electric vehicles, but also by having a sales combination that includes hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, as well as cleaner traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. The EPA has also stated that the car industry could utilize widespread use of particulate filters to reduce the amount of soot emitted from regular gasoline engines.

Jessika Trancik, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology specializing in energy studies, emphasized the need for aggressive action in sectors with advancing technology and growing market momentum in order to meet the country’s overall climate policy goals. This will be a crucial factor in achieving emissions reduction targets for 2030 and ultimately, 2050.

According to Trancik, there are various methods to enhance efficiencies and decrease emissions. However, in order to attain these goals, fully electric vehicles will likely be a crucial factor as they provide the most significant emission reductions.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is suggesting rules for large trucks, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has also suggested a rise in fuel efficiency.

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Alexa St. John is a climate solutions reporter for the Associated Press. You can find her on X, previously known as Twitter, with the handle @ast.john. To contact her, email [email protected].

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Source: wral.com